Love Through the Generations
by DesireeBoils
Summary: Aubrey is a normal 16 year old who was forced to move. She has been obsessed over Phantom of the Opera since she was little. What happens when she meets a decent of Erik's? Will he live up to the Phantom she has fallen for many years ago? Modern day.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Prologue

Aubrey sat listening to her IPod on her queen size bed. Nothing else mattered to her but her music. What it would be like to be a part of it.

She had her head at the foot of her bed and her feet propped up on pillows. Her white skirt and black tee were wrinkled from her rolling all over her bed, jamming to music only she could hear.

Her song selection changed to a tune she knew well. It was David Cook's version of 'Music of the Night' from the opera Phantom of the Opera. Out of habit perhaps she looked over at her full length mirror that she had begged her mother to get her. She got the idea from Phantom of the Opera in fact.

Aubrey had been 12 when the movie was released and she had persuaded her mother to take her to se it in theaters before it left, her mother willingly obliged, not having known the results of taking her daughter to a simple movie. She became obsessed.

After that Aubrey had spent hours trying to find tickets to go to a live show, only having realized tickets were rather expensive, but for her sweet 16th birthday her mother having taken pity on her daughter bought tickets and took her to a live show.

She could almost see the tall man dressed in black with a white porcelain mask looking out at her through her mirror and smiled to herself. How many times had she dreamed that Erik, she had read both Phantom of the Opera books to find his name, had opened her mirror and taken her away?

The song ended and she heard a knock at her door. "Come in" She said in a rather bored voice.

Her mother entered and had a look of sadness on her face. "Mom, what is it?" Aubrey asked concerned. Her mother was usually a happy go lucky woman who didn't get upset by anything.

Her mother walked to her bed and taped her feet so she could have room to sit down. Aubrey placed her feet on the floor and sat up next to her mother. She pulled the head phones out of her ears.

"Aubrey, I have some bad news to tell you. Your father has gotten a new job, but it requires that we move. We have found a house already and we have to start packing. We need to be out of here in a month."

Aubrey was horror struck. She would have to move from the house she has lived in for her whole life, leave all her friends behind. She was a Junior in school, she would have a couple months left for this year then her last year in high school, the best year of school, she was supposed to do this at a new school, with strange people.

She felt her mother's hand on her leg and looked up with angry tears in her eyes. "I know this isn't something you wanted to hear, but I'm sorry honey, you will make new friends. Don't worry about that. You need to start packing. There are some boxes in the hall. I have to let your sister know."

She stood up and hesitated kissing her on the top of the head. She watched her mother leave her room.

Aubrey stood up and grabbed a CD out of her stack and place it in her CD player. She slammed her door shut and pushed play. She skipped the CD to the end and turned up till it almost hurt her ears.

Past the Point of No Return blared through her speakers and she felt calmer. She listened as Gerard Butler, who played the Phantom in the movie sing a passionate love song. She let herself get caught up in the music.

She heard a pounding on her wall. Delilah was her little sister and she had the room next to hers. Aubrey rolled her eyes and turned down her music to a 'normal' level.

Aubrey fell onto her bed and sighed. A new school, that was just what she needed.

**To those who have read my other story, have no fear because I'm not giving up on 'Can Things Ever Be Normal?'** **To those who know me though you know that Aubrey and Delilah are the names of my daughters. Aubrey has passed away almost two years ago. I really hope you enjoy the story. Please review and let me know what you think of if you have any ideas for the story.**

**Desiree'**


	2. Chapter 1

**Dislcaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Timeline:

1872 Erik marries Iris. Erik has a disfigured face.

1873 Erik and Iris have Samson.

1877 Erik and Iris have Zella.

1896 Samson marries Delia.

1897 Samson and Delia have James. James has a disfigured face.

1914 James marries Elnora.

1916 James and Elnora have Albert.

1918 James and Elnora have Edgar.

1936 Albert marries Celeste.

1940 Albert and Celest have Frederick. Frederick has a disfigured face.

1968 Frederick marries Francine.

1968 Frederick and Francine have Elliot.

1990 Elliot marries Linda.

1993 Elliot and Linda have Erik. Erik has a disfigured face.

Chapter 1

A month had passed since her mother told her they were moving. Moving day, how depressing are those two words?

Aubrey had been in the car for ten hours already and have three more hours to go. She took out her binder and a black sharpie and continued the work of art on it. She had drawn and elaborate design of Erik with the words Phantom of the Opera surrounding it.

She kept day dreaming that she was back in time and had made Erik forget about Christine and the two of them ran away. Just then she felt a nudge in her side and looked round at Delilah who was sitting in the back seat with her. "Ouch Delilah, that hurt what did you do that for?" Aubrey said slapping her arm.

"Mom Aubrey hit me!" Delilah cried out as she held her arm.

"Girls, settle down, were almost there. I can see the driveway from here." Their dad shouted.

Though she didn't want to, she felt a thrill of excitement run through her, but quickly reminded herself this wasn't a good thing.

They were moving to a town called Faith in South Dakota.

Aubrey didn't get a good luck at the house since it was starting to get dark. She followed her mother and father into the house and up the stairs. There was a bedroom that had her bed, dresser and boxes.

She bade them goodnight and fell fully clothed onto her bed where she had thoughts of men in masks whisking her away into the darkness.

Morning came all too soon when her mother was shaking her telling her to get ready for school. She slowly rolled out of bed and pulled a pair of skinny jeans from a box on her floor. She pulled out a plain red long sleeve shirt and a white with little blue flowers baby tee. She threw on the baby tee over the red shirt.

She opened a second box and couldn't find her boots she was looking for. She opened two more boxes until she found her black boots that were form fitting up to her knees. It had a one inch heel on it. She pulled them over her jeans. She glanced at the full length mirror and smiled.

She pulled half of her curly hair up into a high pony tail. She reached up and grabbed small chunks of hair out of they pony to hang around her face. She quickly rushed to the bathroom brushed her teeth and applied her makeup.

She was waiting on her mom and Delilah downstairs to go to her new school. She had her binder with her Phantom of the Opera art work on it.

When they got to the school her mother had gotten out. "Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you Aubrey?"

Aubrey had to resist rolling her eyes. "Mother, I am 16 I can do this on my own." Aubrey said.

Her mother sighed but headed with Delilah to the middle school, which was right next door.

Aubrey walked into the big building. She looked around trying to find the office. She headed down the left part of the hallway and walked until the hall ended. So she turned around and headed back in the right direction, finally finding the office.

After she had gotten signed up on classes a teacher walked her to her first classroom. Aubrey took a deep breath before walking in. There was a bored looking male teacher behind a desk watching the clock. She shuffled to the front and handed a slip of parchment to him.

He looked at it and signed it. "Welcome to Faith" he said. "There is a seat towards the back somewhere."

She looked around the class room slowly filling up and grabbed a seat towards the back like the teacher said.

She had slumped down in her seat hating all the eyes on her. She could hear whispers of people daring each other to talk to her first. She rolled her eyes at the childish people around her. There is a new student in school and people act like they had never seen anyone new.

"You're in my seat" A gruff voice said to her right side making her jump. She looked up at him and saw that he wore a flesh colored mask covering the right side of his face. She instantly felt as though she had known him for years instead of seconds.

Aubrey jumped up out of the chair as if electrocuted. "I'm sorry; I didn't know it was your seat." Aubrey said with a smile. She noticed the desk next to his was still vacant and she hurried over to it and sat down.

She looked over at him once she sat down. She leaned across the aisle. "Hi, I'm Aubrey, I'm new here."

"Yeah I've noticed." He said as the teacher called the class to order since the bell had rung.

Aubrey was a little taken aback by his rudeness. She had tried to listen to the whole lesson as the teacher droned on and on, but she couldn't focus on the lecture. She was concerned about the way that jerk acted toward her.

She had come out of her thoughts when she heard the bell ring. She looked up at the board and saw the homework scrawled on the white board and copied it down in her binder. She stood up and was suddenly surrounded by a group of girls.

"Hi, I'm Ashley" "Jane" "Alice" "Natalie"

Aubrey was bombarded as she tried to say hi to the girls who were introducing themselves. She looked around where _he_ was and couldn't see him anywhere. She was slightly disappointed.

"Where are you going next?" Natalie had asked her.

"Oh, umm…" Aubrey pulled out her schedule from her binder and looked down at it. "I have English next."

"Oh I Jane and I have that next" Alice had said and grinned, "We can show you where to go."

Alice had taken the binder out of her hands and put it on top of her own books and placed her free arm through Aubrey's arm. She was led out of the classroom and down the hallway.

Jane was on her other side pointing out different things. "Okay, so never go into that bathroom unless you want to be chocked on smoke, that's where the girls who smoke go. And down there is the cafeteria, I would suggest not eating anything that has potatoes in it, they never buy new ones, and they are totally nasty."

"Okay Jane, let her breath were here."

Aubrey's head was spinning with all the information being shoved at her. She saw an older woman teacher at the front talking to another student about something they had in his hand.

"Mrs. Dalton, we have a new student here. You need to sign her form." Alice said dragging Aubrey up to the front.

"Ahh a new student huh, well let me see it." Mrs. Dalton said holding out her hand. The other student went to sit down when the bell rang. "Class listen up, this is Aubrey Inmon, she is new from…"

Aubrey was horrified that her teacher was making her stand in front of the class and tell the whole class about herself, like she was 7.

"I'm from a no where town in Kansas"

"So what brings you to Faith?"

"My parents"

The class laughed and Mrs. Dalton signaled her to sit down. She saw that Jane and Alice had saved her a seat and she gladly sat down in it.

After class ended Alice and Jane told her it was break. "We have ten minutes to do nothing." Alice said linking her arm through Aubrey's once more and leading her outside. It was very chilly and she was glad she had her jacket on.

The three girls met up with Natalie and Ashley. "So are you liking it here so far?" Ashley asked her.

"Oh, yeah I guess, it's just different from what I'm used to." She had though of the boy who was rude to her and a small frown came to her face.

"What is it?" Jane asked her looking concerned.

"Oh this guy was rude to me in first period" Aubrey said shrugging it off.

"Oh you mean Erik Destler, yeah he is rude to everyone." Natalie said she looked across the way and saw him huddled on a bench by his self reading a book.

"Why does he wear that mask?"

"He was born like that" Jane said looking at him as well. "Just forget about him."

Aubrey wish she could forget about him, but something was pulling her towards him.

Her next class had Alice in it as well and they walked to the class together. Alice was telling her who to hang out with and who were the people she didn't want to get mixed up with.

She had gotten her note signed and was glad she didn't make her stand up in front of the class again. She felt a tap on her shoulder. "Look Aubrey, it's your best friend." Alice said with a smirk as Erik had strolled into the class and sat a few rows away from her.

That's just what she needed, a chance for this Erik guy to be rude to her again. But she was wrong. He didn't even look at her and felt a little disappointed.

Through the class she kept shooting glances over at Erik but he looked forward at the teacher the whole time.

Aubrey was soon being dragged to lunch where she met another girl named Danielle and four guys named Harry, Chad, Alex, and Aaron.

Chad and Aaron had paid her special attention like pulling out her chair asking if she needed anything, even willing to give her a tour of the school.

"You guys are really sweet, but I'm okay." Aubrey said flashing them a smile. She was flattered by all this attention.

Harry had picked up her binder and was looking at it. "Did you do this Aubrey? It's really good, what's Phantom of the Opera though?"

Aubrey was shocked that he had never heard of him and jumped into a detailed account of it. "He is the perfect man" Aubrey finished with a laugh.

She was escorted to the rest of her classes from the girls she met earlier. Some of the guys she met at lunch as well.

Jane and offered her a ride home and she accepted, but called her mom to let her know not to pick her up.

On her way home she timidly brought up the subject on Erik again.

"Aubrey listen, he isn't a really friendly guy. I would really stay away from him. He is always a loner and never social. I'm just trying to do you a favor."

"Thanks Jane, I was just curious about him."

"Shall I pick you up for school tomorrow?"

"Yeah that would be great, I'll see you tomorrow then."

Aubrey bounded out of her car and into the house where she went directly to her room and laid on her bed thinking of Erik Destler.

**So I hope you liked my timeline. I was going to wait to post this chapter, but I didn't want to leave you all with just the prologue. I'm so nice I know! Please review so I know weather my readers like it.**

**Desiree'**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Chapter Two

A soft knock sounded from her closed door. She closed her eyes and sighed pushing herself up from her bed. She walked over to the door and opened it. Her mother stood before her with a smile on her face.

"Was you first day at school okay?" Her mother asked looking concerned.

"Yes mom" Aubrey said with a smile on her face.

"Are you sure, you haven't said anything, and you are awfully quiet."

"Oh, just homework blues I guess."

Her mother seemed to take this excuse because she stopped jabbering and left.

Aubrey sighed, now she really did have to do her homework. She pushed some boxes out of her way and sat down at her desk where she had laid her binder. She had picked it up and opened it, but halfway through getting her homework out did she realized it.

Erik DESTLER.

How could she have been so stupid, was she not obsessed over Phantom of the Opera? How ironic it was that he had some kind of disease that required him to wear a mask and have the last name as Destler, and even more of a coincidence that his first name was Erik?

He was now her favorite person, to have the exact name of one of her favorite characters in the written world and some strange occurrence for him to be like him, in the sense of wearing a mask.

Aubrey opened several boxes looking for the phone she had packed. After the second box she pulled it out along with several books. She searched the floor until she found the jack and plugged up the phone.

What good was this going to do? Why in the world would he want to know he had the same name as someone from a book? He wasn't even nice! No, it would be best if she forgot about Erik Destler, like Jane had said.

Grudgingly she did her homework finishing it before she heard her mother call her down for dinner.

Dinner was always a sordid affair in which her parents threw question after question about their day. Did they make friends? Did they like their new school? Did they find their way around okay?

Aubrey patiently answered all their questions and kept a smile on her face wishing beyond anything that she could escape to her room and be left alone.

After she had helped Delilah clear away the dishes she rushed upstairs. She slowly started to unpack her room, leaving it, if possible, messier than when she had entered for now everything was strewn about instead of in boxes. She pulled out all of her posters of Phantom of the Opera, from the original movie starting Lon Chaney, her many pictures of the new movie with Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum.

Finally her room was starting to become her usual sanctum she could hide away from the world in. Having exhausted herself from unpacking she fell into her bed and curled up only to find herself in many dreams.

Aubrey had been at her old school with surrounding friends. She laughed and joked with them, knowing her move had been a dream. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned with a smile on her face only to come face to face with Erik Destler, and not the Erik Destler from her normal dreams, but this new Erik, this young pompous Erik.

"What are you doing here?!" Aubrey shrieked at him. "I never want to see you again."

"Aubrey, please calm down and listen, I don't have much time. You need to trust your feelings; I am who you think I am. Dive in and do some searching, you will find that what you think is true."

Aubrey looked at him confusion clouding her face. "Erik you aren't making any sense."

He reached out and grabbed the upper part of her arms. "Please, just understand, you will find it."

Aubrey felt a shock run down her body as he touched her. She looked up into the blue green eyes of Erik's, but before she could respond he had turned and started running from her.

"Wait! Tell me what to do, don't leave me." Aubrey shouted at Erik's back side.

Once he was gone the dream changed. She was no longer with her friends from her old school, but her new one. Alice was escorting her to class and she gladly followed.

"Aubrey come on now or we are going to be late for choir."

"Alice, I don't take choir silly, I can't keep a tune."

"Yes you can Erik taught you, he has been teaching you for years, don't be silly."

"What are you talking about? I met you today, along with Erik." Aubrey said more confused than ever.

"Not that Erik" Alice said dropping her arm. She rushed to a class room and opened the door. "This Erik." Alice said bringing the man of her dreams to meet her face to face.

Aubrey was speechless at the tall masked man. She felt the breath in her throat rush in. "Aubrey, you must listen to me. Erik is a good person, just let him know. Break him out of his shell. Don't let him end up like me."

"What's wrong with how you ended up?" Aubrey asked.

"I died alone. I may have been married, but not to my love, she walked out of my life and took my heart with her. I was never the same again. The reason for her leaving always skipped a generation, let him know you love him, it will take time, but don't give up."

"I don't love anyone though."

"Yes you do, you just don't know it yet. Please take care of him, don't let him turn into me."

He reached out and grabbed her hand feeling a jolt as though someone had shocked her.

She woke up with a scream in her throat, threatening to be released. Sweat was pouring off her and she was breathing as though having run a mile.

What was all that about? Aubrey had always had weird dreams, but this was beyond weird. She rolled over and saw that it was almost time for her to get up anyway.

She shakily got up and went to her bathroom. She took a long hot shower and finished getting ready for school. She was in the middle of trying to eat breakfast when she heard a horn honk. It was Jane coming to pick her up for school.

Thankful for the distraction she grabbed her bang, rushed to say goodbye to her parents and into the chilly outside.

She got in the car and shut the door. "Morning Jane, thanks for picking me up."

Jane was looking at her in a strange way. "Aubrey, are you okay?"

"What? Oh yes I'm fine, why?"

"You're so pale." Jane said looking her up and down.

"Oh, I didn't sleep very well last night."

Aubrey was on the verge of telling her new friend about it, but couldn't bring herself to do it. Especially after her warning yesterday.

"I'm just glad to be out of the house, that's all."

Jane shrugged and started to drive to school where they met up with Alice, Natalie, Ashley, and Danielle.

She was starting to get to know the faces around her in class. Aubrey was dreading going to first period where she would see Erik, but when the bell rang she had to hold herself back from running to class.

All the girls she had been hanging out with before school started, except Danielle, walked to their first class.

Aubrey made sure to not sit in Erik's seat again, but sat to the one next to his. The teacher called the class to attention.

"Listen class, we are starting our new projects today. You are to read anything written by Shakespeare and write about it." He wrote a list of topics they needed to include on their reports. "But to make things easier, I have decided to let you have partners." The class gave a small cheer. He gave a small smile, "in order of my generosity, I will be assigning your what you will read."

There was a small groan. "I could let you pick what you are doing, but you have to do it alone." There was a resounding no that rang through the class. "That's what I thought." He said with a smile.

Aubrey walked up to the desk to stand in line. She noticed that Erik had been the last to leave his seat, therefore was last in line.

"Miss Inmon, your partner will be umm…" Mr. Bamoria said as he ran his finger down a list. "Mr. Destler, and you will be reading 'A Midnight's Summer Dream." He said as he handed her the book.

A small thrill came to Aubrey's stomach and she couldn't suppress the smile that came to her lips.

She saw him write her name down next to Erik's and the book they were reading. She walked numbly back to her seat and sat down.

Natalie was waiting for her at her desk. "Oh Aubrey I'm so sorry you had to get paired with Erik. I feel for you." She said placing her hand on Aubrey's shoulder.

"Oh I don't mind." Aubrey mumbled.

"You will after you have to work with him." Natalie said.

After everyone had been told who they were working with Mr. Barmoria said "Okay you can work for the rest of the class together. I expect you to hand in your report in no less than three weeks."

Aubrey looked over at Erik, who had just barely sat down. "So I guess were working together. Have you read the book before?"

He turned his blue green eyes on her and looked at her like she was scum on the bottom of his shoe.

"Yes I have read it before, so I imagine this will go fairly quickly. I can have the report written up tonight, we don't need to work together, and I'll put your name on it so you can still get credit."

Aubrey was shocked. "I really think we need to do this together."

She saw Erik roll his eyes. The bell rang over head and he stood up. "Wait, this is my number, call me tonight and we can work together. I don't want you to have to do it all." Aubrey said handing him a slip of paper with her number on it. She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the class surrounded by her new friends.

"Aubrey you poor thing, Mr. Barmoria has thrown you into the Devil's pit." Ashley said.

"You could say that again." Aubrey muttered.

The rest of the day was wonderful though she chose to ignore Erik in her other class.

Jane once again drove her home. "I'll see you tomorrow." Jane said waiving to her from an open window before driving off.

Aubrey had walked into the kitchen and grabbed a cucumber and peeled it quickly she cut it up and sprinkling salt on it. Aubrey headed towards her bedroom and decided she needed some mood music.

Placing her plate down on her desk she turned and found her IPod and put in her iHome switching it on. She set it to random and noticed that her IPod seemed to deflect her mood and started playing Requiem of a Dream by Clint Mansell. It had been one of those lucky mistakes that she found this song.

One day searching YouTube for Phantom of the Opera scenes Aubrey came across this particular video. The music seemed to pull her into some kind of trance that didn't want to let go. She immediately downloaded it to her IPod, and placed the video on her favorites list for YouTube.

Aubrey fell once again into the trance that over came her at the sound of this music and smiled slowly eating her snack. Just then her phone rang. She came to her senses and had a jolt of excitement run through her. It would be Erik calling her to work on their project.

She seemed to almost float to her phone and with a shaking hand picked it up.

"Hello."

"Aubrey, please tell me you have read Two Gentleman of Verona!"

Aubrey's hope's deflated at the sound of Ashley's voice. "Oh Ashley it's you." Aubrey said disappointed.

"Why were you expecting your secret love?" Ashley said laughing.

"Not a secret love, no." Aubrey said sighing. "Anyways, no I haven't read that. Is that what Mr. Bamoria assigned to you?"

"Yes, it looks horribly difficult. James hasn't read it either and we can't make heads or tails of this story."

"Ashley I'm sorry, I wish there was something I could do to help, but I unfortunately I have my own problems to deal with." Aubrey said rolling her eyes at herself.

"Yeah, I would rather read my story than work with Erik. Good luck, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye Ashley." Aubrey said hanging up the phone.

She had to stop laughing at herself. How predictable was she to expect Erik to call her as soon as he got home from school? No, he probably led a wonderful life where he had tons of things to do instead of sitting around waiting for a call that would never come.

A growing feeling of dread came over her as she sat down to do the rest of her homework.

"Dinner's done." Her mother shouted up the stairs. Aubrey threw down her pencil and started heading out of her room when the phone rang.

**Oh a cliffhanger, I'm so evil! I really suggest that you look this video up on youtube, yes it is a real video, .com/watch?v=m2TETmU4tUM, I think you will enjoy it as much as I did. Please review and let me know what you think about it, I want to give a special thanks to my wonderful readers!**

**Desiree'**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Chapter Three

Aubrey stopped and turned around to stare at her phone ringing. Her hand was on the door knob, which was lucky because her knees seemed to want to give out.

Then it stopped ringing, and she could hear her mother downstairs answer it.

"Aubrey it's for you" Her mother shouted up towards her, "Hurry though, dinner's done!"

Aubrey numbly walked towards the phone with her stomach somewhere near her throat. Her hand reached out to her phone and gently picked it up and placed it to her ear for the second time that day.

"Hello" She said breathlessly.

"Aubrey, how are you?" A deep voice said.

Her stomach dropped back to the normal spot.

"Lawrence, is that you?"

"Yeah it is. Why were you expecting someone else? I have really missed you, you know."

"I know. I've missed you too." Aubrey said quietly.

Lawrence had been her boyfriend at New Field, the town she had just moved from. She broke up with him when she left, not wanting to do the long term relationship, and lets face it, she was only 16 and didn't expect to get married right out of high school. She didn't even feel like she would have married Lawrence even if she had stayed in New Field.

"So how are you liking your new school?"

"Oh it's okay. Just like any other school." Aubrey said shrugging her shoulders knowing he couldn't see her. She was starting to feel guilty talking to Lawrence again. She knew he still considered them together, though she made herself perfectly clear when she left that they weren't.

"I'm sorry Lawrence, but mom said it's dinner time and I don't want to keep them waiting, you know how she is about a family dinner"

"Oh, okay." Lawrence said and she could hear the disappointment in his voice. "I love you Aubrey."

"Lawrence, don't say that." Aubrey said sadly.

"Why, do you not love me?"

"I told you when I left that we were done. I'm sorry. I really have to go." Aubrey said and quickly placed the phone back in the receiver.

She had tears in her eyes as she stumbled down the stairs.

"How was Lawrence?" Her dad asked without looking at her.

"Fine." Her mother looked at her and placed her hand over Aubrey's when she sat down.

"I know you really miss him"

"That's not it!" Aubrey said loudly. Part of it was knowing that she just broke Lawrence's heart, and feeling silly at thinking Erik was going to call her when he made perfectly clearly that he had no intention of calling her.

"There is no need to shout at your mother." Her father said throwing her a stern glance.

"I know, I'm sorry Mom, I guess I'm just upset that's all."

Aubrey was rather quiet through the rest of the meal and rushed to her room as soon as it was over.

She pulled out her Phantom of the Opera binder and grabbed her book of 'A Midnight's Summers Dream' thinking that she should at least read it again and do the report herself.

_Tomorrow I'll just tell Mr. Bamoria that Erik wouldn't cooperate and she would be more than happy to do the report herself._

Aubrey sat down at her desk and started to read the book and was reading the part where Hermia and Lysander escape into the forest and have fallen asleep thinking they were safely out of reach when her phone rang yet again.

She sighed marking her book, knowing it was going to be Jane, since she said she would call about this time.

"Hello Jane." Aubrey said with a smile on her face.

"Umm, I think I might have the wrong number." Said the voice she knew.

"Erik?"

"The one and only."

Aubrey's heart fluttered at his voice.

"I didn't think you were going to call me tonight."

"Yes, well I surprise everyone. So do you really want to take part of this project in English?"

"Yes I do!" Aubrey said indigently. "I like earning my own keep."

"Well that's fine then, have you ever read the book before?"

Aubrey squinted her eyes in anger. "Yes I have thank you." She replied stiffly.

"I didn't mean to offend you, I just had to make sure, how do you want to go about writing this?"

"Well maybe I can go to your house after school tomorrow and work on it."

"No that isn't possible, maybe I can come over tonight and we could work on it."

Aubrey looked at the clock and saw that it was a little after 8 o'clock. "Umm, I don't think my parents would appreciate you coming over this late, but let me check." She set the phone down and bounded downstairs.

"Um, Mom, can a friend come over. We are working on a homework assignment together, and we really need to get started."

She saw her mother check her watch. "It's really late Ruthy." Aubrey rolled her eyes. She hated it when her parents called her by her middle name Ruth.

"It's for school though" hoping this would help with her plea.

"Well I guess so, but only until 10 o'clock." Her father said. She gave a small squeal and hugged her father.

Aubrey bounded upstairs and picked up the phone in a matter of seconds. "Yeah you can come over, but only until 10 then you have to leave."

After the phone had been placed in the receiver she turned to her full length mirror and sighed. She found her comb and pulled it through her tangled curly hair.

In less than ten minutes the bell had rung and she nearly flew down the stairs to answer the door. "Hi Erik, come on in."

She walked with him to the dining room area so they could have plenty of room to do their homework, knowing fully well that her parents would not let her have a boy in her room, even if it was for homework.

"So what kind of report do you want to write?" Erik said briskly.

She had her Phantom of the Opera binder already on the table along with the book.

"Well I wrote down everything we need to have in the report she said grabbing the binder off the table and pulling the sheet out of it.

"We need to include the year it was performed, or what years it was thought to have first shown up, what the story is about, the main characters, just a basic history of the story, and what we thought of it, of course." Aubrey said looking up from the slip of paper in her hand.

It looked as if Erik hadn't heard a word that came out of her mouth. He was looking at her binder and her drawing. "Hello Erik, did you hear me?"

"Did you draw this?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, it's my favorite story in the whole world." Aubrey said glancing at him. "Why?"

Erik cleared his throat, "It doesn't matter, lets just get started." Erik said quickly as he pulled his laptop out of his bag. "I think we should do some research about when it was first acted out, since I'm not sure of the exact date."

They sat for a long time searching different sites about when it was first published, but the closet they could come was sometime from 1594 to 1596.

"Aubrey, I think it's time Erik should be leaving." Her mother said. Aubrey jumped at her mothers voice. She looked down at her watch and saw that it was ten after 10.

"Okay Mom." Aubrey said helping Erik gather all the information they got.

She walked out with him to his car. It was a black eclipse. "Well I'll see you at school tomorrow Erik, thanks for calling me, I think we got a lot done."

"Yeah, no problem." He said briskly.

Aubrey had hoped that after getting out of the eyes of all pupils at school he would loosen up around her.

"Erik do you not like me or something?" Aubrey said quietly.

He looked at her questionably. "I have a hard time getting along with people, I would rather be alone, then surrounded by people. I'll see you tomorrow."

He got in his car and drove off, leaving Aubrey gaping after him.

She fell into bed a short time after he left and fell into an uneasy sleep. Once again Erik Destler came to her in a dream.

"You can't believe what I say. I don't want to be alone any longer."

"Let me lead you from your solitude." Aubrey said looking deep into his eyes. A smile came to his face.

He reached out to her. She gladly placed her hands in his when she felt a tug at the back of her shirt pulling her away from Erik. He stood still his arms still out waiting for her to place her hands in them again, but she couldn't break whatever was pulling her back.

She woke with a gasp. She had felt tears come to her eyes, the dream had seemed so real. After what felt like hours she finally sank back into a dreamless sleep wishing she knew the meaning of these weird dreams.

**So did anyone get the line Aubrey said to Erik in the dream? I thought I might add a line from one of the songs, and it seemed to fit so well. Now that you have heard a lot of Erik now, please let me know what you think of everything, I really like reviews, they keep me going!**

**Desiree'**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Chapter Four

Aubrey rushed outside to get into Alice's car.

"Morning Alice, thanks for picking me up."

"No problem Aubrey Jane told me she was going to be late, so I thought I would pick you up. So what did you do last night?"

"Well Erik came over last night." Aubrey said sheepishly.

Alice slammed on the breaks and turned at looked at Aubrey her mouth dropped.

"WHAT!" Alice yelled at her.

"It was for our homework assignment, don't freak out." Aubrey said trying to hide the grin that was trying to come to her face.

"And you decided not to call me and dish!"

Aubrey looked at her skeptically. "I thought you told me not to hang around him."

"Well if you must know, I think there is something strange about him, but I think he is incredibly hot. It is a rare gift for him to notice any one, especially a girl. Your lucky. Most girls would say they have no interest in Erik Destler, but every girl has a fantasy about him."

Aubrey did start to smile at this. "Well good, because I really like him, but I don't think he cares about me at all. He would hardly talk to me at all last night and he seemed to keep his distance from me. In fact, he was rather rude to me again before he left."

"Well at least you got him to come over, just take it slow and maybe you can bring him out of his solitude."

Aubrey's jaw dropped. She had said exactly what the dream Erik had said to her.

"What is it Aubrey?" Alice asked looking concerned.

"Oh nothing, just a brain spasm."

They got to school and hung out with the rest of their friends until the bell rang where they walked to their English class.

Aubrey was sitting at her desk next to Erik when he strolled in.

Mr. Bamoria told them to get with their partners and start working on their project.

"So I think we made good headway last night." Aubrey said to Erik after he sat down.

Erik just nodded his head and grunted.

She didn't really know what to say anymore so she took out her book and started reading it again.

"Aubrey, what else do we need to work on?" Erik asked her quietly.

She marked her book and set it aside. "Well we actually have a lot more to get done" Aubrey said as she pulled out her list and handed it to Erik.

She saw his eyes darting from left to right as he read everything they needed to add to it.

"Well there's not a whole lot we can do without the internet, or even a computer. Would you like to come over to my house after school where we can work on it?

Aubrey took a few seconds to answer him because something about his eyes seemed to be like a drug to her.

"Oh, yeah that would be fine, I'll have to call my parents, but they will be cool with it. Where do you live? Can we walk from here because I don't have a car."

"No we can't walk, but I have my own car, I'll just give you a lift."

They made small talk for the rest of the class, talking about things they should include in the report when the bell rang and Aubrey jumped. Erik always seeming to know the time jumped up and walked out of the class after seconds of the final bell ringing.

Alice pounced on her as soon as he was out of the door. "Well you two seemed to be getting along well."

Aubrey just smiled at her. "I've talked to the other girls and told them to lay off you about Erik." Alice said quietly.

"Thanks Alice, I really appreciate it.

The rest of the school day seemed to go by slowly. Aubrey kept looking at the clock urging it to speed up, but every time she wished it, she could swear that it would go slower.

Finally the last bell rang. Aubrey had called her parents during lunch and they said she could stay out until 8 o'clock. She was putting her books in her locker when she felt a small tap on her shoulder. Turning she saw Erik standing very close behind her. Flashing him a brief smile Aubrey said "Ready to go?"

"As soon as you are." Erik said slowly.

Something seemed to have changed between first period and now. There was something in his eyes that she wasn't used to.

"Erik are you okay?" Aubrey asked slowly. She had an urge to put a hand on his shoulder and had to force herself to not touch him, though she wanted to so bad.

"Fine, let's just get going."

Aubrey followed Erik out to his car where she saw her friends hanging out with some guys she had met the other day. They wolf whistled at her as she walked by. Aubrey blushed and waved to them, rolling her eyes. She sneaked a glance at Erik and saw he was stony faced.

They drove to his house in silence except the music that pored out of his speakers. Whey they reached the house it looked empty. There were no cars parked in the driveway, but the garage doors were closed. Aubrey thought that his parent's car must be in there.

He parked along the curb and got out, she followed suite and stepped out into the cold air.

When she walked in the house she gasped. It was beautifully designed. The white carpet looked like it was brand new. The walls were painted in a deep red, and had a border at the top that looked like a design with lilies. The furniture seemed to be all black leather, that didn't have any sign of ever having been sat on.

"Wow Erik, your home is beautiful." Aubrey said looking around with a smile on her face.

"Thanks, my mom is gifted with this kind of stuff." He said gruffly.

He started walking towards the kitchen where a woman was waiting on him.

She was holding a small tray that held a glass of milk, and several slices of cheese on crackers.

"Oh, Erik I didn't know you were bringing home company or I would have fixed more." She said as Erik took the glass of milk and plate with the crackers on it.

"It's okay, I'm not hungry." Aubrey said quickly.

She followed Erik down the hall to what appeared to be a den of sorts. It had a beautiful cherry stained roll top desk with a computer screen on it. In the middle of the room was a pool table the balls were in the triangle form.

He sat down on one of the chairs and turned the huge flat screen television on. Erik motioned for her to sit down as well. She turned her attention to the screen and saw he was watching the news.

_What kind of teenager watches the news_? Aubrey thought.

Aubrey was starting to feel uncomfortable at the silence when Erik turned the T.V. off.

"So Aubrey, why did you really want to come here? Erik asked suddenly.

Aubrey was taken aback. She racked her brain for a right answer, but realized that there was only one thing that really came to her mind, the truth.

"To work on our report Erik. Why do you ask?"

"I have seen the way you look at me, and I have heard some of the things you say to your friends. Is this a bet? Do you think you can try to trick me into doing something?"

"What? Of course not Erik, what in the world gave you such an idea? I'm here to work on a school project, not because of something my friends said. I like you and I…." Aubrey blushed. She had been rambling on and had said she like him. What a stupid thing to say!

Erik's eyes gave nothing away as Aubrey looked at him. "I mean I like having you as a partner, you seem to know what you are doing."

Aubrey couldn't even fool herself, she knew it sounded lame and unconvincing.

Aubrey looked at her watch. "Oh shoot Erik, I forgot I had to go to a job interview today, I think I should really leave." She said jumping up from her chair. She picked up her bag and set off down the hall with every intent to leave.

She had made it outside when she heard Erik calling to her. She told herself not to look back at him, but her feet apparently didn't want to listen to her because she turned around and saw him walking towards her.

"Did you really mean what you said?"

"Yes, you seem very smart, and I could really use some brains on this project." Aubrey said not looking at him.

"No I mean the other thing. Where you said you liked me?"

Aubrey blushed again. What was the matter with her? She never blushed!

"I'm sorry Erik, but I really must rush, I don't want to be late."

"I can give you a lift if you like. That way you will be on time."

Aubrey was trapped in her own lie. She didn't want to be around Erik anymore, she had embarrassed herself more than she would have liked today and didn't want to be in a car with him trying to make up a place that she had an interview.

"Oh you know what, I think it's actually tomorrow. I should still get home though."

"I thought we were going to work on our project."

Aubrey sighed. "Yeah your right, maybe we can get it finished then."

She grudgingly followed him back into the house and back into the den.

They in fact did get their report done that evening. _So much for a few weeks time to work on it. _

Erik had driven Aubrey home, as planned and she felt like she was going to die in that car. She had been so close to Erik and didn't know what his reaction was to the fact she like him.

When her house came into view Aubrey let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

He stopped in front of the house and put the car in park.

"Well thanks for the ride Erik, I'll see you tomorrow." Aubrey was pushing open the door and had one leg out of the car when Erik spoke.

"Would you like to come over to my house tomorrow?"

That made her stop dead in her tracks. "We finished the project though."

"Yeah I know, I thought we could just hang out for a while." Erik said quietly.

Aubrey blushed once more, and hated herself for it. "Oh, I'll have to check with my parents, but yeah that would be okay."

"Good night then Aubrey."

"Yeah, night." She said flustered. She walked into her house and seemed to float up to her bedroom where she pulled back the curtains and saw that the eclipse had left. A huge smile was pasted on her face.

She was gibbering on the phone before she realized that she had dialed Alice's number. She told her everything that happened and the fact that he extended an invitation to his house tomorrow.

"Your so lucky Aubrey! Half the girls are going to want to rip your hair out. Wait let me rephrase that, they already do. Guess what! Harry told me to see if you wanted to maybe see a movie with him on Friday! He is like the hottest guy in school, you should do it."

"Well, I'm not sure, I kind of like Erik."

"But Erik never, NEVER, dates girls. You should just go out with Harry. He really likes you."

Aubrey rolled her eyes.

"Well we'll see. I should really go, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Aubrey hung up the phone. Never had she liked a boy, and have another boy like her at the same time. A stupid smile was plastered to her face again as she went to sleep.

**I know it has been a while since I posted a chapter, and I'm so sorry. My husband's grandmother and Aunt came in to town to see my daughter, which they have never seen and I have been busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Anyways. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I thought you guys deserved to see a little more Erik. Do you think Aubrey should end up taking the date with Harry, or wait for Erik to come around, if he ever does. Let me know in a review. Thanks to my wonderful readers who do review, they really make my day! Make sure you check out my song-fic Phantom of the Opera story. I think I may add some more song fics with a story line though. If you think I should, please let me know as well, or I might just leave it as a one-shot, again, let me know. Thanks!**

**Desiree'**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Chapter 5

Aubrey was so glad it was Friday. It was lunch time and everyone was there. Aubrey was upset at the fact that Erik didn't really talk to her, and he did say something about her coming over during the weekend to hang out, but she still had another class with him, maybe he would ask her then.

As soon as she got to school, she noticed that Alice was right about Harry, everywhere Aubrey went, Harry seemed to pop up. Even now he was sitting next to her laughing at something Chad had said.

The bell sounded and Aubrey stood up to dump her tray. Harry followed her to the trash cans, and seemed nervous.

"Aubrey, can I ask you something?"

Aubrey smiled, "Of course Harry."

"Well I know Alice told you I liked you, and I was wondering if you would want to go out with me. Maybe tomorrow, we could go see a movie." Harry said quickly.

Aubrey had thought about this since last night when Alice told her. She really did like Erik, but he didn't seem interested, so maybe she should move on. Harry was a really nice guy after all, and they did get along well.

"Yeah, that would be nice."

Harry's face split into a smile. As they started walking back to the table he reached down and grasped her hand. She smiled at him and he returned the smile. Alice smiled at them as they reached the table. When Harry wasn't looking Alice winked at her.

Harry walked Aubrey to her next class, and as soon as he was out of earshot the girls pounced.

"So when did he ask you out!"

"You are so cute together."

"What are you going to do something this weekend?"

"Okay, okay calm down!" Aubrey shouted over the girls, with a huge grin on her face.

"He asked me out today at lunch, we are going to the movies tomorrow."

"Is he going to drive you home Aubrey?"

She shrugged, "Well he didn't say anything about it."

"Oh I'm sure he will, but if he doesn't I will." Jane said.

Just then the class started and the talking had to stop. When the class ended Aubrey walked out of the class in giggles when Aubrey spotted Harry leaning against the wall waiting for her. His face split up in a smile at her appearance.

She felt Harry slide his hand into hers and felt a small electric shock in her hand. He walked her all the way to the last class, "Do you want me to give you a ride home after school? Maybe we could hang out for a while after school."

Aubrey smiled "Yeah, that would be great, I'll see you after school then." She pulled her hand free from his and walked into the classroom.

She saw Erik sitting in the back, as usual, and she went to sit next to him.

"Hey Erik" Aubrey said sitting down next to him. "Have you had a good day today?"

"Hmph"

Aubrey's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

"It seems that you had a good day." Erik growled.

"Well I had a good day, but what's with the hmph" Aubrey said in an intimidation of Erik.

"I have heard that you are dating Harry Carter, and I can't believe that he would ask you out, he is only dating you because your hot, he doesn't want you for any reason, but to use you, I thought you were smarter than that." Erik said looking her in the face then turning away from her.

Aubrey was shocked to hear these words to bluntly. Could he be right? She was the new girl in town, and he really only did seem to like her based on appearance.

"Wow Erik, you can be really rude sometimes." Aubrey said roughly. She turned away from him, even though he was profoundly looking the other way, and tried to ignore him, but was thinking about what he had said.

It probably was true that the only way Harry asked her out was because of the way she looked, but they got along when they did hang out together. He was funny, and wasn't that important?

As the final bell rang Erik jumped out of his chair as if it was electrocuted and rushed out of the door before anyone else had even gotten up.

By the time that Aubrey was outside looking for Harry, Erik's black eclipse was missing from the other cars. Aubrey heard her name a few feet away and saw Harry walking towards her with a smile on his face.

"Are your parents going to be mad that you are bringing someone home?"

"No, they are really good about friends coming over." Aubrey said, but as she said this Harry's face seemed to crumple. Aubrey knew she had said the wrong thing and had to think for a second about what she said that could have offended him, and then Aubrey realized it was because she said friends coming over.

"Oh, I didn't mean you were just a friend." Aubrey said quickly reaching for his hand. Harry took it but the smile didn't to his face.

"So what are you driving?" Aubrey asked trying to change the subject.

"I drive the faded black Chevy Luv over there" Harry said pointing towards a horrible looking truck. The left door was dented in by what looked like a bat, and the hood was a bright yellow color that had apparently came from a different truck.

Aubrey gave a little giggle. "That's your car?!"

Harry gave you a small smile. "It's a veteran, and I would appreciate it if you didn't diss it." Harry said laughing along with Aubrey.

She just rolled her eyes but smiled along with him, "If you say so."

They talked about what they might see at the movies tomorrow on the way to her house. When Aubrey saw her house in the distance she started to get a little nervous. What would her parents say about her sudden boyfriend, so close to dating Lawrence?

When they walked to the house she made sure she was fidgeting with the strap on her bag so Harry wouldn't grab her hand and tip it off to her parents that they were dating. She took him into the front room where her mom was folding laundry.

"Mom, this is Harry Carter, Harry this is my mom Lacey Inmon"

He reached his hand forward and shook hands with Lacey. "It's very nice to meet you Lacey."

She smiled at him. "It's lovely to meet you Harry. It's so nice to meet some of Ruthie's friends."

Harry turned and looked at Aubrey and mouthed Ruthie with a grin on his face.

Aubrey was embarrassed at her mom's pet name for herself. "Were going to the den to watch T.V." Aubrey said grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room where Harry started laughing.

"So why did your mom call you Ruthie?" Harry asked with laughter in his voice.

"It's my middle name." Aubrey grumbled as she heard the phone ringing. A second later her mom was shouting down the hall that it was for her. Aubrey rolled her eyes and picked up the extension in the den.

"Hello?"

"Aubrey I hate to bother you, since I'm sure your with your _boyfriend_ but I was going to print out our report, and I can't seem to find it anywhere on my computer, you didn't put it on a disk did you?" Erik asked.

"Oh, no I didn't, are you sure you can't find it?"

"Yes, I have looked under everything on my computer, we are going to have to write it up all again, can you come over tonight and do it?"

"Well, yes I should, I'll have Harry give me a ride, then could you give me a ride back home when were done?"

"Yes that will be fine, I'll see you soon."

Aubrey hung up the phone. "Harry I'm so sorry, but our report for English has been deleted from Erik's computer and we really need to work on it before we forget what we had on it. Do you think you could drive me?"

Harry looked a little crestfallen. "You couldn't do it at school on Monday?"

"I'm just afraid we will completely forget what we had down, and we just finished it, I'm so sorry Harry. Maybe you can come over tomorrow before we go out to the movies?"

"Oh okay. Yeah I can drive you."

Aubrey went to ask her mom if she could go and when she said yes she grabbed her bag and walked out of the house with Harry. He reached down and grabbed her hand.

They drove to Erik's house in silence. "Thanks for the lift Harry. Call me tomorrow and we can hang out okay?"

"Yeah okay."

Aubrey walked up to Erik's door and rang the bell where Erik answered it after a couple seconds. He gave a scowl at the truck as it turned out of the driveway.

"How did you look our whole report?" Aubrey asked as she sat down in his family room where his laptop stood open.

"Yes, I have looked under every file on my computer and I can't find it."

They worked until 6 o'clock when some women Aubrey had never met brought in a box of pizza, two plates, and two can of Pepsi's. They took a break from their work and decided to eat. They were not getting far on their work.

"So what other kind of literature do you like?" Aubrey asked around a mouth of pizza.

"Oh I like the classics, and science fiction." Erik said as he swallowed his pizza.

"I like romance books."

"Of course." Erik said rolling his eyes. "That's typical of a girl"

"I like more that romance books, I like older books that are not really known. My favorite book is Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, I really like the book by Susan Kay, the Phantom one anyways."

Erik who had been taking a drink of his Pepsi started to choke. "Why are you so intrigued with Phantom of the Opera?" Erik asked when he got his breath back.

"You know it just speaks to me. I really just seem to connect to the story, to bad it isn't true, I would really love to get to know everything about it."

"How do you know it isn't real?"

**Yes I know I hate leaving you on a cliff hanger, will Erik tell her if it is real or not? I would love to get your feedback on it. I'm so sorry it has taken me this long to update, I have had a lot going on in my life at the moment, but life goes on. I want to thank my wonderful readers to reviewing and reading my story!**

**Desiree'**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do now own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Chapter 6

Aubrey raised her eyebrows at what Erik said. "Of course it isn't true, it's a story Gaston Leroux came up with way back when!"

"What if it wasn't just a story, what if he got it directly from his mouth?"

Aubrey started laughing. "Erik you really are funny."

Erik just shrugged and started eating pizza again, but it got Aubrey thinking. Where was the proof that it isn't a true story?

There was a loud bang that came from the upstairs, instead of the main floor and it made Aubrey jump. Erik scowled at the ceiling.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back."

Aubrey just nodded at him as he left, and wondered what all that was about.

After about twenty minutes Erik came back into the room with a snarl on his face.

"Is everything okay Erik?"

"Fine."

Aubrey didn't really know what was going on, but decided not to ask him about it, at least not yet. After a few moments silence Erik motioned for Aubrey.

"Come on, lets go" Erik said.

"Where are we going?" Aubrey asked confused.

"I just can't stay here any longer, I'm taking you home." Erik said quickly.

A small shock went through Aubrey's body. "Oh, okay." She stood up and grabbed her bag. She walked with Erik silently to the car.

He walked around the front of his eclipse and opened the door for Aubrey. When she got in she put her bag down in between her feet.

She looked over at Erik while he was driving and noticed that his knuckles where white because he was gripping the steering wheel so tight.

"Erik, are you sure everything is okay, you look like you need to get something off your chest."

"Damn it woman! Can't you take a hint I don't want to talk about it, so just piss off and mind your own business!" Erik shouted which sounded so much louder in the closed off car.

Tears sprang to Aubrey's eyes. For some reason when she got mad instead of getting red in the face, or shaking, she cries.

"You don't have to be an ass about it, I was generally concerned for you and you bite my head off." Aubrey said coolly. She turned and looked out the side window trying to make the tears dry up before they leaked down her face, but having no such luck.

When they got to the house, before he could stop the car completely she had taken her seat belt off and opened the door. She reached down for her bag and Erik's hand shot out and grabbed hers halting her.

Aubrey angrily pulled her hand away from his. "No wait, don't go like this. I'm sorry about what I said, you didn't deserve me yelling at you. If you want to I was going to go hang out at this park on the other side of town and you can come with me." He said all this very quietly, but she heard every word.

When Aubrey turned and looked at him he had his head down.

"Erik, I have a boyfriend and I don't think he would appreciate it if you and I were hanging out. We aren't friends, and if someone saw us they could take it in the wrong way. I already had to stop being with him when you called, so I don't think I will."

Erik's jaw seemed to tighten at her words. "Fine, are you going to come over tomorrow so we can finish our project?"

Aubrey sighed. They really did need to finish, but she wouldn't blow Harry off like that again. She placed her finger tips to her temples and started to rub them. She was starting to get a headache. "I have a date tomorrow."

"What time, maybe you can come over in the morning."

"Okay that will be fine. I can have my dad drop me off or something. I'll be there about 10 o'clock."

She got out of the car quickly and walked up to her bedroom. Aubrey was in a very foul mood. How could Erik expect her to just go and hang out with him after the way he had treated her!

When she reached her desk she saw a note scrawled by her sister. She picked it up trying to decipher what it said but had no luck. Aubrey rolled her eyes and was pounding on the door of her sisters bedroom.

When she opened it she saw a whole bunch of girls laughing on her bed. "Delilah what in the world does this note say?" Aubrey said holding out the note for her to read.

"Duh, it says that Harry called, and that Jane called and they both want you to call them back." Delilah said looking at her like she was stupid.

Aubrey scowled at her. "You need to learn how to write then, I can't make out a word of that!" And stomped out of the room.

She went and picked up the phone and decided to call Jane first. After three rings someone picked up the phone and yelled for Jane to pick it up.

"Hey Jane, how are you? Did you call me?"

"Oh hi Aubrey, yeah I did, I was wondering what plans you had tonight. I'm going to have a sleep over. Alice and Danielle are coming."

"Well I would, but I have a headache and I don't think I would be very good company right now." Aubrey said sighing.

"Aww, why not?" Jane asked with concern in her voice.

"I was over at Erik's house working on our project and we didn't really get along."

"What! I thought you had that finished."

"Well we had, but it got deleted from his computer, and we have to do it all over again."

Jane suddenly gasped. "Aubrey, maybe he deleted it on purpose to spend time with you, you said he didn't like you going out with Harry!"

Aubrey felt like a brick had been hurled into her stomach. Why had she never though of that before?

"Oh my gosh Jane, your probably right! That would be just like him too! He is one of the biggest jerks I have ever known!"

After a few minutes of Erik bashing she got off the phone and decided to call Harry back.

When the phone had rung seven times Aubrey hung up the phone. No one must be there. Aubrey felt a little sad, she had been hoping they could talk for a while since they didn't really get to hang out much today. Maybe in an hour or so she would call again.

Aubrey plopped on her bed and plugged her headphones into her ears. She flipped through her IPod and looked for some kind of angry music she could really let her hash out all of her angry thoughts.

She came to her Hinder songs and decided their music would do the trick.

After an hour of that she felt much better and decided to give Harry a call again.

She dialed his number and waited as the phone rang. After two rings a woman picked up.

"Hello?"

"Is Harry there?" Aubrey asked hopefully.

"Oh honey I'm sorry, Harry isn't here right now, he is out with friends."

Aubrey's hopes fell. Who could he be out with? "Oh, do you know where they went?"

"He said something about a basketball court, but I'm not sure which one."

Aubrey thanked her and got of the phone. She looked out the window and thought it was rather dark to be playing basketball, but maybe they had lights there.

She heard a bunch of laughing that came from Delilah's room and got angry at their loudness. Aubrey walked downstairs and decided to watch some T.V. but her parents were there and a basketball game was on.

Yeah another reminder that Harry couldn't spend time with her that was exactly what she needed.

"Mom can I go for a walk?" Aubrey asked.

"Why don't you just walk Spunky?"

"Fine." Aubrey said. She called their wiener dog beagle mix and put a collar on him. As soon as fresh air hit her face she knew this is what she really needed.

Aubrey had strolled down the block and decided to go to this basketball court that wasn't far from her house. Maybe Harry would be there.

It took her fifteen minutes to reach the court and saw someone playing, but when she got closer it wasn't Harry. It was a very tall man playing with someone who was short and squat.

Deciding to give it up as a bad job Aubrey turned and started walking back to her house when one of the guys called to her.

"Hey baby! Come over here and keep us company." The tall man shouted at her.

Aubrey turned and rolled her eyes. "No thanks." Aubrey said and kept walking. She could hear the two guys running to catch up with her and she turned to face them.

"Baby don't be like that, were your friends" The short guy said in a slur.

"Look just leave me alone, or I will scream!" Aubrey said starting to get scared.

They two guys started laughing and nudging each other. The tall guy got closer to her and grabbed her arm. Aubrey screamed and dropped the leash she was holding. Spunky started growling and tried to bite the man holding her, but he kicked him out of the way. She heard him squealing and run off. Aubrey was not alone.

The man holding her spun her around where he pressed her back to his front. Aubrey tried to scream again, but found there was nothing in her lungs to get released. The squat man started to move forward and Aubrey waited until he was close to her, she could smell his breath on her face. It smelled like alcohol.

She kicked her foot up hard and kicked him in the place he knew he couldn't get up from. Aubrey lifted her elbow into the tall guys face and got him in the jaw. She was now thankful that her mother had made her watch some silly self defense thing on T.V. now. As soon as she made contact she started running towards home. She had made it about half a mile before she realized she didn't know where she was.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked around helplessly. She heard someone shout at her and she took off again. Aubrey could heard pounding steps behind her, they sounded like they were catching up to her.

Panic overrode her and she started stumbling. Finally the guy she heard behind her grabbed her left arm and spun her around. Her scream pierced the night. She raised her fist and threw it hard, hitting the man in the cheek bone.

Aubrey took off again, but heard something she didn't expect.

"Damn it you hit hard!"

Aubrey stopped in her tracks and turned around. She saw Erik standing a few feet from her holding the good side of his face.

"Erik! I'm so sorry, these guys were chasing me, and I thought you were them, are you hurt?"

"Yes I'm hurt, I think you broke my cheekbone. How did you learn to hit that hard?"

Aubrey rushed to his side and gingerly took his hand down to look at the damage she had done. It was very swollen and red.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Aubrey asked softly.

"No I'm okay, we should get back to my car if someone is after you. I parked down this way."

Aubrey looked around and noticed a familiar house. "My house is just right around the corner, you should put some ice on that before it gets much worse."

Erik started to walk with her, but before he could take two steps he stumbled. Aubrey lifted his right arm and put it around his shoulders helping him walk.

When they reached their house Aubrey explained to her mom and dad what happened.

When they had calmed down they went and got an ice pack for Erik's face.

"Erik I'm really sorry I hit you." Aubrey moaned seeing his face in the light. It didn't look like it felt good at all.

"I'm okay. I heard someone scream, and I wanted to make sure they were okay. I never expected to get hit in the face for it."

After thirty minutes of him icing his face, Lacey and James drove him home.

Aubrey went to lay down on her bed. Her hand was aching from hitting Erik so hard.

She had fallen into an uneasy sleep where she started to dream, once again, about Erik.

**So I know I said Aubrey would find out if Erik really did delete their report on purpose, but my fingers took over once again. You will find out in the next chapter I promise. So did you like it? I thought I would have Aubrey get in a little trouble! Please review and let me know what you thought about it!**

**Desiree'**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, sadly.**

Chapter 7

Aubrey woke to the birds chirping loudly outside her bedroom window. She looked down at her hand and saw that it had swollen even more than last night. Erik's face probably looked worse than her hand though and she felt guilty.

She hauled herself out of bed and grabbed her phone and dialed Erik's number, but before she let the phone ring she hung up. Why was she going to call him? She would see him in a few hours time.

When Aubrey walked down the stairs she saw her dad eating breakfast at the table.

"Aubrey we need to take you to the police station this morning." He said calmly.

"What! Why?"

"Because you need to identify the guys that attacked you."

Aubrey was mortified. "I'm supposed to go to Erik's house and finish our project."

"Well I can drop you off afterwards."

So Aubrey was at the police station, against her will and looking through a big plate glass window. She knew the people couldn't see her, but it still made her nervous.

Aubrey recognized the two men quickly, "Number 2 and number 6 are the guys that attacked me." Aubrey said quietly.

They asked them to step forward. "Do you need her for anything else?" Her dad asked?

"Yes, just have her follow Officer Jon and give a report, and that's it."

Aubrey relived the entire story and went over every detail with Officer Jon, even the part of punching Erik.

"Thank you for giving us this information Aubrey, I know that reliving it isn't easy."

Aubrey nodded her head and followed her dad to the car. When she got to Erik's house she let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding.

Erik answered the door and Aubrey gasped. Erik's face had swollen and was very angry looking and red.

"Oh Erik! I'm so sorry, does it hurt?"

"Of course it hurts, you punched me in the face."

Aubrey felt guilty once again. "I'm really, really sorry Erik."

"Yeah you mentioned." Erik grumbled. "If you can just go downstairs I'll meet you there in a minute, I have to finish something."

Aubrey walked down the stairs and saw Erik's laptop opened. Jane's words floated back to her _"maybe he deleted it on purpose to spend time with you"_. Erik wouldn't do that though? Well he might, he didn't really like her dating Harry.

Aubrey started poking around on his laptop looking for the old file with their report on it, but couldn't find it. She looked through his deleted stuff in trash, but couldn't find it there either. She would have seen it in trash because there were other things there as well.

She checked the history of the computer to see if he has done any revamping on his computer, but it looked as though he needed it done because it hadn't been performed in months.

It looked as though Erik really didn't delete it on purpose. It looked like he did have a virus on his computer. That was probably what happened, a virus deleted it.

Aubrey heard Erik coming down the stairs so she quickly moved and sat on the other couch, away from the computer.

About 1 o'clock they finished looking up all the information and retying their whole report.

"Are you hungry?" Erik asked as he closed the report, after printing it.

Before Erik had said that, Aubrey hadn't given her stomach much thought, but now she realized she was very hungry.

"Actually I am!" Aubrey laughed as her stomach gave a loud growl.

They walked upstairs and into the kitchen to make them selves a sandwich.

"So are you still going out with Harry tonight?" Erik asked suddenly.

"Yes" Aubrey said.

"Oh, I was hoping that we could maybe hang out." Erik said quietly.

"I don't understand you Erik! You snub me, then you want to be friends, then you snub me, then you want to be friends! I can't take this anymore. You either need to be nice to me and be my friend, or keep on snubbing me and never talk to me again, because I'm getting some very conflicting messages from you. What do you want with me!" Aubrey said a little hysterically.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel like I don't like you Aubrey. I'm just not used to having someone to talk to, and I find that talking to you is very easy for me." Erik said softly not looking at her.

"Okay. I can't hang out tonight though, I still have my date with Harry. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow though."

Erik's head jerked up with a small smile on his face.

"Do you think you can drive me home? I don't want to go walking anywhere right now."

Erik finished eating his sandwich and nodded. "I don't blame you, but I don't think you would have any problems if something did happen, you could just punch them." Erik said gesturing to his face.

Aubrey burst out laughing.

When Erik pulled into her driveway she thanked him for the ride.

"Well I hope you have fun tonight on your _date_."Erik said a little coolly.

"Okay I will. Will you call me tomorrow?"

"If you wish."

Aubrey got out of her car and was halfway towards the door when she saw a bush shake. Aubrey let out a piercing scream and out jumped Spunky. She sighed in relief.

She ran over and picked him up. He was still wearing his leash from last night.

Her mom had run outside at Aubrey's scream, only to find her picking Spunk up.

"Ruthie! You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry mom."

Aubrey ran upstairs and took a shower and started getting ready for her date. She had several outfits laid on her bed when Delilah walked into her room.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for my date. What should I wear?"

Delilah looked over the outfits on Aubrey's bed and picked out a white skirt that went a little above her knee and a black t-shirt with a small white mask on the bottom left corner of the shirt.

"You always look good in that outfit." Delilah said.

Aubrey nodded in agreement and started to get dressed. She was finishing clipping her hair back when the door bell sounded.

Aubrey rushed down the stairs and opened the door. She gave Harry a big hug.

"I'll be right back, I have to tell my parents I'm leaving."

Once she got back they started walking to his car. He reached down to hold her hand, but it was the hand that she injured.

"Ouch." Aubrey said as he grasped it.

"What did you do to your hand? Harry asked.

Aubrey went through the whole story.

"What was Erik Destler doing there?" Harry asked confused.

"Well he said he was just passing by." Aubrey said shrugging.

"I don't like it. He is so weird, I don't know why you even bother with him."

Aubrey was suddenly angry. "Erik is my friend Harry."

"Doesn't stop him from being weird." Harry said shrugging.

They didn't talk until they got to the movies. Aubrey wasn't really paying attention to the movie. She couldn't when Harry was trying to hang all over her.

"Harry please stop, I'm trying to watch the movie."

Harry grumbled and pulled his arm from around her shoulders.

When the movie was done they returned to his truck. "Are you mad at me?" Harry suddenly blurted out.

Aubrey was still upset about what he had said about Erik and the fact that he barely knew her and was trying to kiss all over her. "Well no Harry, but I think you should behave yourself a little more. You don't even know me that well."

"You're my girlfriend! I'm allowed to kiss you aren't' I?"

"I'm just not comfortable with you yet, so I would appreciate it if you didn't."

"Fine." Harry said coolly. He drove her straight home not saying a word to her.

"Well goodnight." Aubrey said hoping out of his truck.

He drove away before she even got to the house. Aubrey felt very sad about what had just happened and felt tears sting her eyes.

When she got home she told her parents that she was home.

"Aubrey we have a surprise for you." Her mother said as she walked in the room. "We know you went through a terrible ordeal, and we thought you have needed one anyways, but we got you a computer for you room. You need one with SAT's coming up so you can study and do your homework on it. We have installed it in your bedroom. You have your own phone line tool."

Aubrey's sad mood suddenly went to happy. She hugged and kissed her mother and father and ran upstairs to see a new computer sitting on her desk.

She clicked the internet button and waited for it to dial in. When the internet connected she signed up for MSN and loaded the few people whose e-mail address she knew, including Erik's.

As soon as she added his name he appeared online. A message suddenly appeared.

_Your home early._

**Yeah I didn't really have a good time.**

_Well I'm sorry to hear that._

**LOL!!! Yeah right. He wasn't very gentlemanly.**

_Are you dating then?_

**I dunno…maybe I shouldn't….**

_Well why don't you come over tomorrow and talk to me about it._

**Okay…will you pick me up at noon?**

_See you then. Sleep well Aubrey._

Aubrey signed off and fell into bed. Why were things in her life so complicated? She did like Harry, be he was being a total jerk. And what was the deal with Erik? He seemed to dislike her, then like her and want to be friends, but Aubrey still had a small crush on him.

Could they stay just friends or would Aubrey want to date him, even though technically she was still dating Harry.

Aubrey slowly drifted off into sleep, and once again dreamt of Erik.

**So Aubrey is alreay having trouble in paradise with Harry. Do you think they will work it out, or break up? Please let me know what you think about the story. Oh and if you like Twiliht, check out my story Beautiful Golden Eyes! Once again, thank you to all my wonderful readers for reviewing, you really make my day with reviews. I can't believe how many people are adding this story to their favorite list and adding me to favorite authors list, you have no idea how much that touches me!**

**Desiree'**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 8

Aubrey woke in a huff, she was very tired of getting weird dreams of Erik, and wished they would stop coming.

She rolled over and looked at the clock realizing it was already 10 in the morning. Erik was supposed to get her at noon.

When Aubrey got downstairs my mother had a surprise for here.

"Aubrey there was something that came for you this morning." She said out of the family room.

"Really, what is it?" She asked curiously.

"Come into the family room and I will show you."

Aubrey started walking quickly into the family room and saw a small vase with a carnation surrounded with baby's breath.

"Who's it from?" She asked reaching for the vase.

"I don't know, I didn't look." Her mother said with a smile on her face.

Aubrey pulled the card out of the small envelope and smiled. It said 'Aubrey, please forgive me, I don't know what came over me. I hope this helps, and I'll call you tonight, I have to work this morning. Harry'

Surprise coursed through Aubrey's body, this wasn't expected. A huge smile came to her face.

"Thanks mom." Aubrey said and rushed up the stairs to place it on my computer table. And to think she had though about breaking up with Harry last night. _Maybe he wasn't so bad and really listened to what I had to say._

The two hours until Erik was supposed to pick her up went by in a blur.

When they were both in the car Erik turned and said "So what do you want to do today?"

"Oh I don't know. I haven't really been to a whole lot of places, why don't you just surprise me."

Erik nodded his head and took a left turn after a few minutes. After a fifteen minute drive they were slowly getting out of town and had driven to a secluded place.

They were surrounded by trees that were starting to bloom. It seemed to be a public place, but there wasn't another car or person around.

"Erik what is this place?"

"Oh it's some kind of park, I like to come here and relax. If you look down the way you will see a small set of swings."

They started walking towards the place he had pointed out. Aubrey set down on one of the swings and started swinging out of habit.

Erik smirked at her.

"What is so funny?"

"I just thought you were 16 not 6."

"Hey, it's fun!" Aubrey said starting to slow down.

"So tell me about last night." Erik said softly.

At this time Aubrey had stopped her swing, but still sat on it. "Oh, well Harry seemed to be more concerned with watching me than the movie."

Aubrey saw Erik's eyes squint in dislike. "But he is forgiven now."

"And why is that?" Erik asked coolly.

Aubrey told him about the flower Harry had sent her and the note on it.

"So that makes what he did okay!?" Erik asked outraged.

"Well no, but he said he was sorry."

"Aubrey you are to naïve. He is just trying to get in your pants, can't you see that."

Aubrey blushed at what he said. "He is not Erik. You need to be a little nicer to him. He is my boyfriend."

"It makes no difference to me what he is to you; he is still a foul scumbag."

Aubrey felt the anger rise in her chest at Erik's cruel words. "Stop Erik! I don't want to talk about this anymore. The matter is settled."

Erik walked over to the other swing and sat down next to her. He seemed to be in a bad mood.

After ten minutes of silence Erik turned to Aubrey. "Have you eaten lunch?"

"No I haven't"

"Well lets go, I'm starving. I'll take you to a great place."

Aubrey nodded her head and started following Erik. Erik had taken her to a small café kind of place. It was obviously a rip off of a star bucks. Aubrey had ordered a turkey sandwich with a mint tea and Erik had ordered some kind of pastry with a black coffee.

Aubrey started rummaging through her purse to pay for her half of the meal, but Erik placed a hand over hers. Electric shocks went through her hand at his touch and she quickly pulled her hand away from his.

"I'll get it."

Aubrey shrugged her shoulders and walked over to a small two person table to wait for their food.

"Erik, I have asked a few people around school about you." Aubrey said quietly.

"And why would you do that? More particularly what did you ask?"

Aubrey looked down at her fingernails not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Well I was wondering why you were always by yourself and didn't chat with people."

"That's fairly obvious." Erik said quickly.

Aubrey jerked her head up and looked into his eyes. "Not to me!"

Erik angrily waved his hand over his face. "People think I'm some kind of freak because of this!"

Aubrey glanced quickly at his mask and then at the table. A waitress placed their order down in front of them.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't like talking about it. I don't think you are a freak though." Aubrey said looking back into his eyes. She saw disbelief flowing through them.

"Look, it's no big deal, I just don't like talking about it."

Aubrey nodded her head and ate in silence. After they were done they got back in Erik's car. He took her home.

"Aubrey, please don't get mad." Erik said suddenly. Before Aubrey had time to ask get mad at what, she felt Erik's lips on hers. It was a few seconds before anything really clicked in her brain.

She plunged her hands into this thick black hair and sighed deeply. Something in the back of her brain was nagging her though. Harry!

Aubrey pulled back with a gasp. "Erik! What are you doing?"

A small grin seemed to come to his face. "I told you not to be mad."

"How could you! I'm dating Harry, and I told you I liked him. You and I are just friends."

"Aubrey, you can't lie to me, I saw your face when you touched my hand, and you can't hide that from me. I know you like me, just dump Harry and stay with me."

That line struck Aubrey funny. It was something her dream Erik had kept telling her. Stay with Erik.

"Maybe so, but I really like Harry, and I don't want to blow that. You have to understand that Erik. I like Harry. I can't be your friend if you do things like that." Aubrey said and rushed out of the car.

When she reached the safety of her bedroom door she crumbled. Why would Erik wait until she was happy with Harry to make a move? Was life always this unfair to her! She had to move right before her senior year. She liked a guy who brushed her off, when she did finally get a boyfriend he manhandled her, then when she starts to be happy with her boyfriend, a guy she likes makes his move!

_Why was life so unfair?_

Aubrey stayed huddled on her bed. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her left cheek rested on her knees looking out of the window.

Hours seem to go by without her moving. Finally the sound of her phone going off brought her out of her bad mood.

Aubrey rushed to the phone and answered it before the second ring could get out.

"Hello beautiful." Harry's voice said.

Aubrey sighed in relief. "Did you get my flowers?"

"Yes, thank you so much Harry, it was beautiful!"

"I just want to apologize again. I should have noticed you didn't want to be like that with me yet, and I just kept plowing on. I'm really sorry." Harry's voice did sound sorry.

"Well, I have to admit, I was a little upset by it. But I'm okay now. I really do like you Harry."

"I really like you as well Aubrey."

They talked on the phone for an hour before her mother was shouting up the stairs that dinner was done.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow okay." Aubrey said to Harry.

"Okay bye."

Aubrey hung up the phone and rushed downstairs for a dinner time.

When she got back up to her bedroom half an hour later she sighed on to her computer. A message appeared quickly.

**Are you still mad at me? **

_**No Erik, but I just don't get you sometimes.**_

**And why is that?**

_**You know why Erik. I just want you to realize that we are just friends okay. I don't want to loose you as a friend.**_

**Okay, I will behave myself. I promise. So what did you do after I dropped you off?**

_**I just hung out at the house, then I talked to Harry for a bit.**_

After a few minutes of talking online Aubrey signed off. Getting ready for bed Aubrey was wishing that those dreams of Erik would not continue, but in the morning she realized that her wishing was for nothing.

**So Erik is a bit nicer in this chapter. I hope you guys are liking Harry, and his flowers lol! I just want to say thank you to anyone who added my story to their alert, or favorite list, you have no idea how much that means to me. I also want to say thank you to all my wonderful readers, you are what keeps me going, and I love reading all of your reviews, weather they be 'I like your story' or something that you think might happen further down the line.**

**Desiree'**


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 9

Monday mornings were always the worse. After being able to sleep in and do whatever Aubrey wanted, she wanted nothing more than to just roll over and sleep in.

Aubrey sighed and got out of bed and got ready for the day. When Aubrey was eating breakfast she heard a knock at the door and wondered who could be paying them a visit so early.

After a minute her mother came into the kitchen. "Ruthie, someone is at the door for you."

She jumped out of her chair to see Harry standing at the door.

"I thought I would drive you to school today, if you don't mind." Harry said when I ran up to him.

"Of course I don't mind!" I said and hugged him. "I'm ready to go, let me get my bag though."

Aubrey grabbed Harry by the hand and pulled him into the house. "Mom, I'm leaving. I'll be home after school."

"Oh, shoot I have to call Jane real quick." Aubrey said as I reached the door.

"I already called her for you, and I said that you would call her if you didn't want me to drive you after all." Harry said shyly.

"You think of everything, don't you."

The drive to school, and before classes went smoothly. When Aubrey got to English, Erik was already sitting there looking board.

"Hi Erik." Aubrey said as she sat next to him.

He just nodded his head towards me.

Aubrey raised her eyebrows at his cool hello. "What's your problem?"

Erik turned to Aubrey. "I see that you were driven to school by that guy you call your boyfriend."

Aubrey sighed. "Erik, please don't start. You know I like Harry, and I don't appreciate you being over protective."

"I can't help it Aubrey. I'm to concerned with your safety, and I don't think Harry has your safety in mind."

"And why would you think that?" Aubrey said coolly.

"I just know him better than you." Erik said shrugging.

Aubrey rolled her eyes and turned to listen to the teacher.

Erik didn't know what he was talking about.

Aubrey was glad when lunch time came. Aubrey sat next to Harry only picking at her food, holding Harry's hand.

Aubrey wasn't really listening to the words spoken around her until Harry pulled on Aubrey's hand to walk her to class.

When Aubrey was finally in a class with Erik she decided not to speak to him.

The final bell had rung and Aubrey was at her locker putting her books away when Erik stopped by.

"Aubrey I'm really sorry about what I said." Erik said quietly.

"I know you are." Aubrey said quietly looking towards him. "I forgive you."

Aubrey couldn't be mad at Erik, there was something in her that always wanted to forgive him.

"Will you get online later?" Erik asked.

"Of course. I'll talk to you later." Aubrey said as she started to walk to Harry's old truck.

"So Aubrey, can I come in for a bit?" Harry asked as he stopped his truck next to her house.

"Yeah, I'm sure my parents won't mind."

Aubrey and Harry were spotted hanging out in the front room watching something on T.V.

Things with Harry seemed to come easy, but at the same time there was something missing, and Aubrey couldn't put a finger to it.

"Aubrey, are you sure your okay? You seem kind of quiet today." Harry asked with concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I just have been off in my own world today."

That was the truth too. Aubrey had been thinking about what Erik said about Harry, and got the feeling that Erik knew something more that Aubrey did. Would Erik be saying this because he was jealous that Aubrey was dating someone besides himself, or would he really be concerned for her safety, or happiness?

Aubrey wasn't sure what to think anymore. Her mother told Harry that it was time to leave because Aubrey needed to do her chores and homework.

Aubrey walked Harry to the car. "I'll see you at school tomorrow." Harry said.

"Okay. Will you pick me up tomorrow?"

A wrinkle to Harry's forehead. "Well actually no. I have something I have to do before school. You will have to call Jane for a ride."

Something strange went through Aubrey, something that she didn't trust about Harry.

"Oh okay. Well I'll see you later then."

Aubrey walked dejectedly to the house and up to her room. What was going on with Harry? Was he being truthful with her?

Aubrey signed on to the computer because she didn't have any homework.

Of course, Erik was on and a message popped up before Aubrey could do anything.

**So tell me what's wrong.**

_**How in the world do you know something is wrong Erik? Sometimes I swear you can read my thoughts.**_

**I just know because I'm just good. So what did Harry do?**

_***sigh* I have a feeling he is lying to me.**_

**Really what about?**

_**I'm not sure, but it really bothers me. Hey can you pick me up for school tomorrow?**_

**Harry can't?**

_**No, that's what I think he is lying about. He said he had something to do, and I'm not sure why, but my body is telling me that something is wrong, and I usually listen to my body, because it's usually right.**_

**Well than you should listen. What did he say to you to make you feel like that?**

_**I said I would see him tomorrow at school, and asked if he was going to pick me up, and he said that I needed to call Jane to pick me up tomorrow because he has to do something before school. Bit if it were something like a doctors appt. wouldn't he just have told me?**_

**Yes that does sound like he is up to something, and of course I will pick you up tomorrow morning. I think it is going to rain, and I would hate to see you standing out in the rain for the bus, or have someone else pick you up.**

_**Erik you are one of the most wonderful people I know!**_

**Did you expect anything else?**

_**Well….**_

**LOL, well what!**

_**I don't know Erik. You still confuse me sometimes.**_

**I know I do, and I am truly sorry about that. I have bad mood swings.**

_**Tell me about it. Erik…**_

**Yes?**

Aubrey had been about to say something to the effect that she liked him, but wasn't quite sure how to say it. Would she just be better off to be with Erik, or Harry?

It troubled Aubrey that she was thinking like this about Harry. After all, he was very nice to her.

_**Never mind, forget it.**_

**You know Aubrey, you can talk to me if you want to.**

_**I know. You always seem to know what I'm thinking.**_

**I can just read you like a book.**

_**Then you should already know.**_

**Yes I know, I just want to hear you say it.**

_**Well good luck with that!**_

**You will one day, I can feel it. Take your time though, I understand.**

_**Thanks Erik. I should really go, dinner is probably done.**_

**Okay, bye Aubrey. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning.**

_**Bye Erik.**_

Aubrey felt relived at what Erik said. He knows that Aubrey likes him, but is willing to wait for her, even though she still kind of likes Harry.

Does this mean that Erik cares for Aubrey more than Harry? Because Harry wouldn't be so polite if Aubrey told Harry that she liked someone else, and would be willing to wait.

Aubrey went down the stairs and knew what she was going to do, but she just had to get the guts to actually do it, and that would be the hardest part.

**Okay, so I know it has been a little while since I posted, and I am very sorry! I have been so busy lately, and just didn't get a chance to until now. Acutally I didn't have the time to do it now anyways, but there you are! So please review, I love to get all everyone feed back! I want to say thank you to all my wonderful readers, and a major thank you to everyone who added my story to their alert list, or favorite list, you have no idea how much that means to me.**

**Desiree'**


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, or anything related to Stephanie Meyer, or anything related to Orson Scott Card. I had to add extra disclaimers since I mentioned them in this chapter :P.**

Chapter 10

Aubrey woke in a bad mood. Another strange dream came to her last night. They were all centered on Erik and it drove her mad! Last night's dream was strange, the Erik Destler from the 1800's kept pleading with Aubrey telling her to look into the decent eye's of her Erik.

"He's not _my_ Erik." Aubrey said to him.

"Trust me, he was meant for" Erik said with a small smirk on his face.

Aubrey just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and how do you know that, why are you my guardian angel?"

"Don't be so shocked if you find that to be the truth." Erik muttered.

"Yeah, and I'm the luckiest girl in the world!" Aubrey said between hysterics.

Erik shrugged. "Just go with him, there is something about him and his family that you need to be prepared for, and just be there to be his anchor. I never got my anchor, she left me, but I had to settle, because I needed that kind of love. I didn't really get it, and I don't want him to suffer like I had to. Please just listen to what I'm saying."

"What, you want me to go and marry him and live happily ever after?"

"No, not quite yet, but you need to work a little harder Aubrey, don't make him wait any longer."

"I'll do what ever I please" Aubrey said loudly. Her eyebrows were knitted together and her hands were on her hips.

Erik walked over to her and grabbed her by the upper arms. "You will not speak to me like that." Erik growled.

Aubrey knew he was so moody, and just ignored him, but was still frightened. "Erik, please don't try to push me around, you know I don't like it. Just behave."

"Fine I will behave, and let you be." Erik said quietly as he removed his hands from her arms.

That's when Aubrey woke with a start. Why was her dram guy, Erik Destler, a fictional character be telling her to hook up with the Erik she knew! Why would her dreams have taken such a weird turn.

Aubrey's dreams have never bothered her like this. In fact she rarely ever dreamed, and when she did, she could hardly remember them. She didn't start dreaming like this until she was forced to move and meet Erik.

Then Aubrey remembered why she woke in a bad mood. She was going to have to deal with Harry today and that was not something she was looking forward to, of course Erik did say he was going to pick her up, so maybe things wouldn't be so horrible.

After she had gotten ready and was waiting by the door she heard the honk that Erik was waiting for her in his car.

She rushed out through the light mist that was falling and into Erik's car.

"Well good morning Erik." Aubrey said as she closed the door to his car.

"Morning Aubrey." Erik said softly. "Do you like sci-fi books?" Erik asked as they were driving to school.

"Actually I do like sci-fi's. Why do you ask?"

"Well I have been reading this really good series, and I thought you might like it."

Halfway through Erik talking Aubrey let out a huge yawn.

"Oh, I'm sorry, do I bore you?" Erik asked in a joking tone.

"No, I'm really sorry Erik." Aubrey said stiffening another yawn. "I just haven't been sleeping well, that's all."

They were at the school now, and Erik pulled into a parking spot. He turned to look at her. "Yeah, you do have shadows under your eyes, what's been bothering you?"

"Weird dreams." Aubrey muttered.

Erik's forehead wrinkled like he was thinking hard. "Hmh, that's weird." Erik said softly, but Aubrey wasn't really paying attention to him at the moment, because Harry was sitting on a bench looking around, like he was waiting for Aubrey.

"Oh, Harry's here, he said he wasn't going to be here this morning, that's weird." Aubrey said already starting to open the door. "Bye Erik." She called as she walked over to him.

Now how to do this, quick and painless, like a band-aid, or drag it out, and still be friends with him afterwards? Aubrey did want to be his friend after all this, but thought she should just hurry and get all the unpleasantness over with.

"Harry what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be late today?" Aubrey said when she reached him, but stopped in her tracks when she got a good look at his face.

It was red and blotchy, like he had been crying, and his eyes seemed to be on the verge of tears once again. Aubrey's reaction took control.

"Oh Harry what's wrong?" Aubrey asked as she put her arms around him.

"I don't have good news, that's why I couldn't be here this morning, or so I though. I haven't told you, but I have a sister in the hospital. She was very sick, something she was born with. It's called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. She was only two months old, and she passed away this morning. The doctors did everything for her, but it didn't work." Harry sobbed as he talked into Aubrey's shoulder. She could feel the tears soaking through her shirt.

"Harry, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say. Why didn't you just tell me this, you know I would have supported you."

Harry nodded his head. Aubrey now felt like crap. She had just been about to break up with him, and his sister dies.

_What a good girlfriend I am!_

"I just wanted to come by and tell you what happened, because I'm going home for the day. I'm not sure when I'll be coming back to school. Will you call me later tonight?"

"Of course Harry. I'll call you when I get home." Aubrey said.

Harry pulled out of her embrace and got up and left. He didn't look back.

Aubrey heard the bell ring and cursed herself silently about being late. She strolled into the class, earning a nasty look from her teacher. She slid into her normal seat next to Erik, and he looked at her like 'where have you been?'

After a few minutes the class broke up and started talking to their partners, since the project was still going on, at least for people who weren't already done.

"So did you break up with him yet?" Erik asked as he turned to Aubrey.

Aubrey looked at him "How did you know I was going to break up with him." Aubrey asked quietly.

"Like I said last night, I can read you like a book. How did he take it?"

"I didn't do it." Aubrey said quietly. "It wasn't the right time."

Erik's shoulders slumped a little. "Why exactly wasn't it the right time?"

"His baby sister died." Aubrey said quickly.

"Oh. I see. Well your right, that wouldn't be the right time."

Aubrey was suddenly embarrassed. She knew Erik was planning on asking her out as soon as he found out that Aubrey and Harry we no longer together.

Aubrey had been waiting for him to ask her as well. There was some kind of pull that brought Aubrey to like Erik, and she wanted to be with him. To be able to run her fingers through his dark hair, gaze into his green eyes.

"Umm….what was the book you were telling me about?" Aubrey asked trying to get his mind somewhere else.

"Oh, it's a series called Enders Game, by Orson Scott Card. You might like it, I'll let you read it if you like."

"Okay, I just finished reading that series that's really popular right now, the Twilight Sage by Stephanie Meyer. I really like it, it was one of my favorite stories."

"Yeah I heard of it, but haven't read it." Erik said.

"You might like it. I'll tell you what, you lend me Ender's Game, and I'll lend you Twilight, then we can swap back afterwards."

A small smile came to Erik's lips. "It's a deal." Erik said reaching over and shaking Aubrey's hand.

"Want to come over to my house after school and get it? Then I can drive you home later and you can give me Twilight?"

"Well I told Harry that I would call him after school, I was actually going to have my dad drive me over to his house."

Erik looked down at his desk and nodded. "I understand"

The bell sounded and Erik left. The rest of the day seemed to fly by. Aubrey was very worried about Harry. She didn't know what she would do if Delilah died. They didn't always get along, but that was her sister, and she would do anything to save her.

When she rushed up the stairs she picked up her phone and dialed Harry's number. The phone rang 12 times before Aubrey hung up the phone. She ran downstairs.

"Mom, can you drive me over to Harry's house? I really need to talk to him."

So a few minutes later Aubrey and her mother pulled up into Harry's driveway. There was a small car parked beside them, and Harry's old truck on the curb.

"Thanks mom, Harry will give me a lift home."

"Okay, just don't be here too late."

I got out and walked up to the door and rang the bell. A couple seconds later someone answered the door. It looked like Harry's father.

"Um hi, is Harry home?"

The man nodded his head and let Aubrey in. She followed the silent man into a big room with boxes everywhere. Harry was standing next to a box labeled books and was putting books into it.

Harry turned when he heard someone walk into the room.

"Oh hi Aubrey." Harry said. It sounded like he had been crying.

Aubrey rushed over to him and put her arms around his midsection.

"How are you doing?" Aubrey asked him quietly.

"Worse than this morning. I have some more bad news for you." Harry said as he pulled Aubrey's arms from around his waste. He walked to a small couch and sat down on it, and Aubrey followed sitting next to him.

"I'm sure you can tell, but we are moving. Were staying here long enough for the funeral, then were heading out. My parents don't want to be in this town anymore. They say it's to hard for them to cope."

Aubrey didn't really know what to say. "Oh." Was all that came out.

"I'm really sorry Aubrey. Maybe we can still see each other though."

"Where are you moving too?"

"Somewhere in Arizona."

"That's a long way away Harry. When would we ever see each other?"

"Yeah I know. I just thought I would throw that in there. I really do like you Aubrey."

"I know Harry, I really like you too. We can still keep in touch though, through e-mail." Aubrey said softly.

She got up and waited for Harry to stand. Aubrey pulled him into a hug. "I'll miss you Aubrey." Harry said into her ear.

Aubrey walked out of the house and started to head towards her house. Almost half an hour later she walked up to the door and opened it. This was not how Aubrey had intended to end things with Harry, but it was the only way.

Aubrey already broke up with Lawrence because she was moving, and they had been dating for almost a year, she had no intention to date someone who she had only been dating for a few weeks.

She walked up to her room and signed on the internet, and of course Erik was there waiting for her.

**Hi Aubrey, how's Harry?**

_**Moving…**_

**Oh. Did you break up then?**

_**Yes I have no intention of doing the long distance relationship, though he kinda wanted to.**_

**Yes I see your point. How are you doing though?**

_**I guess I could be better, I'm kinda sad you know. I did kinda like Harry…**_

**Yeah I know. I'm really sorry Aubrey. Do you want me to come over and visit?**

_**Actually do you think we could go out to that park again?**_

**That would be okay. I'll come get you. I'll be there in about 10 minutes.**

_**See you then.**_

Aubrey signed off and went downstairs to asker her mother. She ended up telling her about Harry.

"I just need to be with a friend right now."

"Okay honey, just be careful."

"Sure mom."

A few minutes later she heard Erik's honk and Aubrey went to go meet him. He was standing outside his car waiting for her with his arms open. Aubrey gladly went into his arms feeling slightly better when she was around him.

**Okay so first off I want to say, my first daughter really did die from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and her name was Aubrey. I hope you did like this chapter, and I know a lot of people have been hating on Harry, but maybe you won't anymore**. **I want to say thank you to all my wonderful readers who added my story to alert, or favorites, or added me to your favorite author list. Also thank you to anyone who reviewed. You have no idea how much I love getting reviews! Thank you to all my wonderful readers, I woudln't be able to continue this story without you!**

**Desiree'**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera.**

Chapter 11

Aubrey sat in the front seat of Erik's car as he drove to the park.

"Aubrey you seem very quiet." Erik said without taking his eyes off the road.

"I'm feel so bad for Harry. He was really upset about his sister."

"That I can understand. Does it bother you that you can't go out with him anymore?" Erik asked quietly.

"Well I'm a little upset, but I was going to break up with him anyways, things just weren't working out with us." Aubrey said.

When they arrived at the park Aubrey got out of the car and Erik was right next to her. He was so close that their arms touched. Part of Aubrey wanted to reach out and grab his hand, but didn't know how he would react to that.

Aubrey sat down on the swings and Erik sat down in the one next to her. Aubrey wasn't really swinging, just moving a bit.

"Aubrey…" Erik said.

"Yes Erik." Aubrey said. She looked over at him and he seemed to be working on something in his head.

"Never mind."

Aubrey shrugged and felt a drop of water hit her in the face. She looked up and saw that it was starting to rain.

"We should leave Aubrey, I don't want you to get sick." Erik said as he pulled her off the swing. By the time they got to the car it was coming down in bucketfuls.

"Erik, can you drive in this, I can barely see a thing!" Aubrey said as she fastened her seat belt. It scared her that she couldn't see the road.

"Well I don't want to just sit out here in the car." Erik snapped at her.

"Fine then, go ahead and get us both killed." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

Erik sighed and put the car back in park. He turned the heat on so it could dry them off and turned up the radio.

"So you said you haven't been sleeping well." Erik said.

"Yeah I have been having some weird dreams, and I'm not rested when I wake up. I have them all night long and it is driving me insane!"

"What have the dreams been about? Are you afraid of the dark or something?"

Aubrey laughed. "It's not like nightmares, just weird dreams."

"Well tell me about them." Erik said.

Aubrey blushed. "I don't want to talk about them." She said quietly.

"Are they about me!?" Erik said with a small smile on his face. A smug smile.

Aubrey blushed even redder. "What makes you say that Erik?"

"I can tell from the way you are acting. How long have you been having dreams about me?"

"There not about you….exactly. You know I like Phantom of the Opera right, well that character keeps telling me that you are I are 'supposed' to be together. How I was meant for you, and to keep you happy and safe. It's driving me insane. I always thought that the Phantom of the Opera was like my dream guy." Aubrey said lamely.

She looked over at him, but he was staring out the window. There was no expression on his face.

"Okay so I have embarrassed myself enough, can you at least talk to me!"

"How long have you been having these dreams Aubrey?"

Aubrey thought this was a weird question. "Umm…I don't know. What does it matter?"

"Well I have been kind of having the same dreams."

Shock came onto Aubrey's face. "What do you mean you have been having those dreams?"

"Well mine are different, but not really. Er….I mean that Phantom guy keeps telling me the same stuff. I have been having those dreams since you moved here."

"Yeah I guess that's when I started having mine." Aubrey said. "What does all this mean?"

"Do you remember when I asked you why you liked Phantom of the Opera, and you thought it was about a fictional character?"

"That's because it is about a fictional character Erik. There was never any Erik, or Christine, or Raoul. It's just a story."

"No Aubrey it's not. He was a real man, and that story was not fictional, it's reality. Erik is my Great-great-great-great Grandfather. He is a real man. I have a face like his. That's why I wear this mask. All these things are not a coincidence, this disfigurement skips a generation. My father doesn't have a face like mine, but my grandfather does and so on. I'm not sure why no one ever just stopped having kids and ended this horrible gene that skips a generation! I have already made the decision to stop this horrible curse that was put on my family. I vowed to never have kids, and I would be the end of this horrible life, no child, well grandchild, of mine will have to go through what I go through!" Erik shouted.

Aubrey felt tears sting her eyes. "Erik, this can't be true. Stop doing this to me. I love that story, and for you to try and trick me is just mean."

Erik reached over and grabbed her am. "It's not fake! I have pictures and proof." Erik said.

"Erik you let go of me this instant!" Aubrey screamed at him.

He dropped his hand and started the car. "Where do you think you are going! You still can't see a foot in front of you. Your going to get us killed." Aubrey said grabbing the side of her seat.

"I'm going to show you that this is real, and that this curse is true." Erik growled at her.

Aubrey sat silently in her seat and prayed that Erik wouldn't get in an accident. Finally they made it to Erik's house. Erik got out and stormed over to her door and opened it.

"I'm not getting out Erik. You need to take me home." Aubrey said and crossed her arms in front of her.

Erik reached over her and undid her seat belt and pulled her out of the car and threw her over his shoulder.

"Erik! What the hell do you think you are doing! Put me down this instant." Aubrey yelled, but it did no good. He did put her down, inside his house. He grabbed her arm once again and pulled her downstairs to the family room. He pushed her gently into a seat.

"Stay there, and don't move." Erik said. Aubrey looked into his eyes, about to argue back when she saw the fire dancing in them, and decided to listen to him.

Erik ran out of the room. A couple minutes later she saw him walk in the door with a box.

He pushed the box into her lap.

"Open it."

Aubrey silently pushed off the lid. There were pictures upon pictures in there. She picked up one from the top and saw a man that greatly resembled Erik. He too wore a mask, but instead of a flesh colored mask she saw a plain black cloth mask covering the right side of his face. He had a huge smile on his face and a small petite blood woman stood next to him with her arm around his waste. She flipped it over and saw Frederick and Francine 1968.

"That's my grandfather." Erik said. He was right behind her looking over her shoulder. "Go to the bottom of the box."

Aubrey did as she was told and pushed aside pictures until she was at the bottom. There she saw a very small black and white photograph. It was the Erik from her dreams. He had his white porcelain mask over his face. He was standing side by side with a woman wearing a simple weeding dress.

"Is this him?" Aubrey asked turning around and looking at Erik.

"Yes. Do you believe me now?"

"This seems so unreal." Aubrey said shaking her head.

Erik took the photograph out of her hand and put it back in the box and closed the lid. He pulled it off her lap and put it on the floor and handed her a much smaller box.

For some reason Aubrey didn't want to open it. She tried to give the box to Erik, but he wouldn't take it. "It's more proof."

Aubrey took a huge breath and opened the box. She almost screamed, but managed to hold it back. It was the mask from the photograph. It was very dingy looking, and had some chips in it. This had to be over 130 years old. It was obviously passed down from generation to generation.

"Wow Erik I don't know what to say. I'm totally speechless." Aubrey said. She closed the box and gently handed it back to Erik.

"Now you know, it's real and it haunts me every day." Erik said sadly.

Aubrey stood up and walked behind the chair to Erik. She wrapped her arms around him.

"There is something else, besides my face that goes with the curse."

"What is it?" Aubrey asked.

"Every man in my family who has had the misfortune I do have all loved women, but have had her taken away from him, or she has not returned his feelings. They always end up with someone they didn't love."

"Like Erik and Christine?"

"Yes, just like that."

"Have you found your love yet Erik?" Aubrey asked gently.

He looked directly into her eyes. "Yes I have."

**So Erik has finally told Aubrey the truth! I know my faithful readers have been waiting for me to, and I have granted your wish :D. I hope you liked the chapter, so please tell me what you think about it! I want to give a huge thank you to all my wonderful readers, if it wern't for you, I wouldn't write this story.**

**Desiree'**


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 12

Aubrey looked into Erik's amber eyes. "So what does this mean?" Aubrey asked quietly

Erik cleared his throat. "Never mind Aubrey. Look, this is just…please don't…."

"Whoa Erik, it's okay. Were both young, and we don't have to plan our whole life. I don't want you to freak out, we both like each other, so lets not ruin things we have now, and we'll see where we go."

Erik looked up and smiled. "So am I forgiven for being so rude before?"

Aubrey crossed her arms in front of her and gave him a scowl. "Speaking of that, shame on you for forcing me to do something I didn't want to do. You should be ashamed of yourself." Aubrey said in a mocking scowl.

Erik hung his head, but Aubrey could see a small smile on his face. Aubrey reached and put her fingers under his chin and lifted his face up so he was looking at her.

"Erik how much are you like your great-great-great-great grandfather?" Aubrey asked. She really didn't want to ask him about this because she knew it would make him uneasy. "It doesn't matter to me, I just want to know."

Aubrey saw fire dancing in Erik's eyes, and took a small step back. "Erik, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad"

Erik took a deep breath. "No I'm sorry Aubrey. I'm basically the same as him, but not exactly the same." Erik said in a cold voice.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them now. Aubrey heard a crash that shook the whole house. She gasped and look up towards the ceiling.

Erik sighed and said "stay here Aubrey…I'll be back in a second."

Aubrey watched him run out of the room. This was the second time this happened, and curiosity was pulsing through Aubrey. She slowly walked up the stairs, but wasn't sure which way to go from here.

Aubrey decided to head down the left hall way and she could now hear Erik.

"Just get back in bed, I have to take Aubrey home, and I will come home after that and take care of you. Just don't move." Erik said in an annoyed voice.

Aubrey turned and walked quickly back to the stairs, she knew she wouldn't be able to reach the downstairs, but at least she could be on the stairs, and say she was concerned for him, but act like she didn't hear anything.

Just as she suspected the door opened as she reached the stairs.

"What are you doing Aubrey?" Erik asked with anger in his voice.

"I was just concerned about you Erik, is everything okay?"

"Yes. Everything is fine. I should take you home now. The rain has let up a bit."

Aubrey nodded her head and started to make her way down the stairs. She opened the door and stepped out onto the covered porch. Erik was standing next to her, and was holding an umbrella open for her.

Aubrey gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Erik, you are really sweet when you try to be."

A small smile came to Erik's face. "Yeah, that's just the gentleman in me I guess."

Erik walked her to the car and opened the door for her.

Once Erik was in the car, things felt normal between them again. The ride to Aubrey's house went in silence, but a comfortable silence.

"Erik will you be online later?"

"Yeah, we can talk for a bit."

Erik handed her his umbrella when he reached her house. "Oh no I couldn't take your umbrella Erik, you will get all wet." Aubrey said trying to push the umbrella back to Erik.

"Nonsense Aubrey, I will be fine. I'll just park inside the garage, instead of at the curb."

Aubrey shrugged. "If you insist." Aubrey grabbed the umbrella out of his hand, but before she could grab it all the way he reached for her with his other hand.

"You know I really like you right?" Erik said without looking at her. "But like I said last night. I will wait for you, if you aren't ready for our relationship to go public."

"Thank you Erik. I think we should wait before we tell other people, after all Harry and I did just break up, people would get the wrong impression."

"Okay. Just let me know…you know when we can go public. I don't want to get you in trouble with your friends if I held your hand or kissed you."

Aubrey's breath went up. "Well you know if were not around people that is okay. I don't mind." Aubrey said as she squeezed his hand.

She expected for him to lean over the seat and kiss her, but after a couple minutes of him not doing it, she didn't think he was going to.

"Well I should let you get home. I'll talk to you later tonight Erik."

Aubrey opened the car door, and opened the umbrella and ran into her house. She closed the door and put her back against it. The butterflies in her stomach were still going strong, and she wished Erik would have kissed her.

"Aubrey is that you?!" Her mother shouted.

"Yeah it's me."

Lacey rushed into the room and grabbed Aubrey by he shoulders.

"I have been so worried about you. I head about an accident, and I though it was you and Erik! Have you been at the park the whole time? It's pouring rain."

"Mom, mom, mom, please calm down. After it started to rain we went over to Erik's house and hung out for a bit."

"Well why didn't you call me, I have been worried sick! I said you could go to the park with Erik, not his house. Were his parents even home?"

Aubrey was sure that it was one of his parents that Erik was talking to upstairs, but wasn't 100% sure.

"Of course his parents were home mom. Geez what kind of girl do you thin I am?" Aubrey asked rolling her eyes.

"Don't take the tone with me Aubrey! I'm your mother, you will respect me."

"I'm sorry mom. Your right. Next time I will call you so you won't worry."

"Your grounded for a week Aubrey. No internet, no phone, you come straight home from school. Your friends can pick you up and drop you off, and that's it."

"WHAT! That's not fair mom. I told you, I just wasn't thinking. It won't happen again." Aubrey screamed at her mother.

"Your right you won't do it again." Lacey said as she walked out of the room.

Aubrey ran upstairs and slammed the door. She was going to get online real quick and send an e-mail to Erik to let him know what was going on. She clicked on the internet icon and waited for it to dial up, but it never did.

Aubrey looked at the back of her computer and realized the phone line was missing from her computer.

Then she went to her phone and saw the same thing, the phone line was missing.

This was so unfair! How could her mother treat her so unfairly!

Then a plan hit her. Aubrey rushed into the hall way and opened the door to Delilah's bedroom.

"Hey! Have you ever heard of knocking?" Delilah asked Aubrey as she closed the door.

"I need you to do me a favor." Aubrey asked quickly.

"And why should I?"

"It doesn't matter. I need you to call this number, and tell the guy that answers that I'm grounded." Aubrey said as she wrote down Erik's number. "Also tell him to pick me up for school. Then when you get done with that, call this number." Aubrey said as she wrote down another number. "Ask for Jane and tell her that Erik will be picking me up for school tomorrow."

"And what do I get if I do this?" Delilah asked folding her arms across her chest.

"Come on Lila…please. I would do it for you." Aubrey said pleading with her sister.

"Well okay." Delilah said.

Aubrey let out a small squeal and hugged her sister. "Oh and don't tell mom or dad, okay."

Delilah nodded her head. Aubrey went back to her room and laid on her bed and let the boredom take over.

After an hour of thinking about what had happened with Erik today her mother came into the room. "Dinner's ready."

"Okay I'll be right down." Aubrey said softly.

Her mother left her room and Aubrey slowly rolled off her bed and followed. When dinner was done Aubrey went back to her room. With nothing to do Aubrey went to sleep early, and of course dreamt of Erik. Both Erik's.

"So I see you are finally taking my advice to heart." Phantom Erik said.

"Yes, and now I'm grounded." Aubrey mumbled.

"I told you that you like him, and he liked you." Phantom Erik said.

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"Just be good to each other." Phantom Erik said. He motioned for someone to join him and I looked around and my Erik walked into the room.

I ran over to him and threw myself in his arms.

"Aubrey I love you." Erik whispered in my ear.

"I love you too Erik. We will be together forever, I will break your so called curse." Aubrey said.

"I hope so Aubrey, I really do." Erik said and leaned down and kissed me.

**So did you like it? I hope so, please review and tell me what you think of it, or if you have suggestions or anything. I want to say thank you to all my wonderful readers, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be writing this story. I also want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, or added my story to their alert, or favorite list. Also the the wonderful people who added me to their favorite author list. That means so much to me!**

**Desiree'**


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opear**

Chapter 13

A week had gone by very slowly for Aubrey. No calling Erik, no hanging out with Jane or any of her friends, nothing, but when she came home from school after giving Erik a kiss on the lips she walked into her house.

"Mom" Aubrey called out as she went through the house looking for her.

"What is it Ruthie?" Her mother answered her.

"Well it has been a week since you grounded me, am I free?"

"Yes, yes your free, I have already hooked everything back up in your room." Lacey said to her daughter.

Aubrey gave out a quick thanks and rushed up the stairs and got on her computer. She probably had hundreds of e-mails waiting for her, which she did, but sifted through the junk mail quickly. As she did this she saw a familiar e-mail address, but couldn't place it instantly.

Aubrey opened the e-mail and looked to the bottom of the page. It was from Lawrence! Aubrey hadn't though of him in a long time

_Dear Aubrey,_

_Hey honey! I have missed you so much. I'm out of school for a week for spring break and I know your birthday is in the same week, so I have convinced my mother to let me come visit you. I have saved up enough money to stay at a hotel the whole time. I am leaving on Monday, and I can't wait to see you. I'll be staying at the Super 8 in town, so come by and see me after school because I don't know where you live, and I will be there after school. _

_I love you so much,_

_Lawrence._

Aubrey was dumbstruck. Hadn't she made their break up perfectly clear? Today was the day Lawrence was talking about…what was she going to do!

Aubrey snatched up the phone and dialed Erik's number.

"Hello" Erik said.

"Erik I need to talk to you. You remember that guy that I told you about that I was dating in my own town?

"Lawrence right."

"Yeah, well I told you I ended it with him, and I made it clear, but he sent me an e-mail and he is driving up here to see me and still thinks he is in love with me. He is here in town right now expecting me! What am I suppose to do?" Aubrey wailed.

"Calm down Aubrey, it's okay. Why don't we just go over there, and you can hang out wit your friend, and just make it clear to him that he is only that, your friend." Erik said trying to sooth Aubrey.

"We?" Aubrey asked skeptically.

"Yes, we still may not have gone public, but you know people know we're dating, but we can tell him. Maybe he will see that you are serious and happy, and leave you alone."

"Thank you Erik!" Aubrey gushed. "Will you come get me, I need to get this over with."

"Yes, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Aubrey got off the phone and ran downstairs and told her mother exactly what Lawrence had said.

"Lawrence is going to be heart broken." Lacey said.

It was a good thing Aubrey had had enough sense to tell her mother that she was dating Erik, Aubrey didn't want to get in more trouble for keeping things from her mother.

"I know, but Erik is going to go with me, so he can help me handle this." Aubrey said.

"Well okay, just don't let things get out of hand."

Aubrey waited out on her front porch for Erik to show up and when he pulled into her driveway she rushed into his car.

As soon as Aubrey got in the car Erik grabbed her hand and placed a tender kiss on her hand.

"Okay, so what did you mean everyone knows were dating?" Aubrey asked him after she told him where to go.

"Oh come on Aubrey, they can see how we look at each other, and how we are together all the time."

A small smile came to Aubrey's face. "Yeah, I guess your right. Well now you can at least give me a hug at school and hold my hand then, but I think we should hold off on that kind of things why we are around Lawrence, at least until he understands what's going on."

Erik pulled into an empty spot and Aubrey ran in and asked what room Lawrence was staying in and got back in the car and told Erik to drive all the way to the end.

Aubrey saw Lawrence's crappy car and Aubrey pointed it out and Erik parked next to it. Aubrey took a deep breath.

"Erik, I don't think I can do this." Aubrey said with a quiver of fear in her voice.

Erik took Aubrey's hand. "I'm not going to force you, but he came all the way out here to see a friend, are you really going to turn him down?"

"No of course not. Thanks for coming with me Erik." Aubrey said as she got out of the car. She walked up to the door and knocked on it.

Lawrence opened it after a second. His hands shot out and pulled her through the room and pulled her into a huge hug.

"Aubrey! God I have missed you so much." Lawrence said.

Aubrey pulled away from him and turned to see Erik walk in and close the door.

"Hi Lawrence." Aubrey said.

"Who is this?" Lawrence asked looking at Erik.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lawrence this is Erik, Erik, Lawrence."

Lawrence briefly shook his hand.

"Why did you bring him along Aubrey, I though we could have some time together since we haven't seen each other in a long time."

"I know Lawrence, but your e-mail had me concerned." Aubrey said looking down at her feet.

"Why would you be concerned?" Lawrence asked leading her over to the bed.

"Well Lawrence I was concerned because your e-mail made it seem like you are still in love with me, and we are still dating…"

Lawrence sat down on the bed next to Aubrey, and she saw Erik walk over towards her and stand in front of her, like a shield.

"Aubrey I do still love you, and we are still dating." Lawrence said and Aubrey jumped off the bed and rounded on him.

"No Lawrence we are not still dating. I made perfectly clear on the phone after I got here that I wasn't in love with you anymore, and we were not dating." Aubrey shouted at him.

The look on Lawrence's face is what bothered Aubrey the most. It looked as if she had reached through his chest and pulled his heart out and pounded on it.

"I'm sorry if this was so blunt Lawrence, but I tried to tell you clearly before, and you wouldn't listen."

"Is this why you brought him along!" Lawrence shouted back at her. He bounded to his feet and pointed his finger towards Erik who was standing between Lawrence and Aubrey. "You wanted to rub this in my face."

"No Lawrence, Erik is here to support me because I didn't want to hurt you." Aubrey said in a whisper looking horrified at what Lawrence said.

What happened next was a shock to Aubrey. Lawrence had shoved Erik hard to the side and took the step closer to Aubrey and slapped her across the face. Hard.

Aubrey felt the sting on her face and her hand went to the spot he struck, but not before Erik had grabbed the back of his shirt.

Erik spun him around and punched Lawrence in the mouth. "Don't you ever touch her again!" Erik yelled at him.

Lawrence got off his feet and got in Erik's face.

"No!" Aubrey shouted and pushed herself in between Erik and Lawrence. "Stop it both of you! Erik lets just go." Aubrey said as she started to push him gently in the chest towards the door.

"I'll get you for this." Lawrence shouted at them as they left the room.

Erik put his arm around Aubrey and led her to the car. He made sure she was all the way in before he got in the car himself.

Erik quickly pulled out of the hotel and stopped at some stores parking lot. He took his seat belt off and turned towards Aubrey. He gently grabbed her chin and tilted her face towards the window to get a look at her face.

"There's definitely some swelling, and I think there is going to be a nasty bruise." Erik said.

"Yeah my face hurts." Aubrey said lamely as she reached up and touched the left side of her face. "How bad do I look?"

"You still look beautiful. I'm so sorry he hit you, I was trying to keep that from happening." Erik said gently.

"It's not your fault Erik, I was so shocked that he would actually do that to me."

"Well lets go home and put some ice on that." Erik said as he started to drive towards his house.

Once they got there Aubrey called her mother and told her that she was over at Erik's house, and she would tell her what went on with Lawrence when she got home.

Erik brought her a rag with ice wrapped in it, and was grateful because the ice did feel good on her skin.

"Well that could have gone better." Aubrey said and for some reason started to laugh, and Erik just shook his but grinned at her all the same.

**So first off I want to dedicate that chapter to FYInichole because they sent me a message and helped me get off my but and hurry up and update. So Lawrence was a total scumbag huh! That idea came to me all of a sudden and I though I would run with it. Please review and let me know what you think. I want to say thank you to anyone who has reviewed my story, or added it to their favorite or alert list. Also thank you to anyone who added me to their favorite list or author alert list, you have no idea how much that means to me!**

**Desiree'**


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do now own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 14

Aubrey took the icepack from her cheek and handed it to Erik. "Here Erik, put that on your hand, it looks exactly like mine did when I hit you." Aubrey said.

Erik smiled and pushed the icepack back to Aubrey. "You need it more than me, and I have to say, my jaw still hurts. You have one tough right hook." Erik said reaching up and grabbing his jaw and moving his jaw around like it still bothered him.

Aubrey laughed and felt relief when she put the icepack against her cheek.

"I just can't believe he hit me!" Aubrey burst out after a minute.

"Well let's not dwell on it." Erik said. "So what do you want to do, I could take you out for dinner." Erik suggested.

"No, I don't want to go anywhere; people will think you beat me up."

Erik rolled his eyes and stood up. He placed a DVD into the DVD player pushed play. Aubrey was shocked when she saw on the screen. "Erik, you don't have to watch this," Aubrey said softly.

"It doesn't bother me, a lot of the facts are wrong, and I know it's your favorite, so I though it would help cheer you up." Erik answered.

So Aubrey waited for Erik to sit next to her on the couch and settled in to watch Phantom of the Opera.

The feeling was so surreal as the movie played out, sitting with that man's great, great, great, great grandson, things just felt like a dream.

Aubrey watched the last scene as Phantom Erik smashed the glass in his mirror and walk through, and just like every time she watched it, she felt so bad for Phantom Erik. Aubrey always hated to see Christine choose Raoul over Phantom Erik.

Aubrey couldn't even imagine going through that kind of loss, and suddenly got a feeling that if Erik had ever left her, that's what Aubrey would go through. Getting a feeling that he had tore her heart out with a dull butcher's knife.

The credits were rolling and Erik got off the couch and turned the DVD player off.

"Aubrey, your birthday is in a couple days…does your family have anything planned?"

"Actually I'm not sure," Aubrey said thinking over anything her parents might have said. "We usually just have a little family party."

"Well, I would like to take you out, but I didn't want to disrupt anything your family might be doing."

"Yeah, I don't think I will be able to go out on my birthday, but maybe Friday night we could go out. Besides, there's nothing to do on a Thursday anyways." Aubrey said shrugging.

Erik walked in front of Aubrey and held his hand out to her to help her up. "I should really take you home, unless you want to get something to eat first." Erik said as I stood up.

"No, I don't feel very good. I think it was the hit to the head." Aubrey said trying to sound funny.

"That's not funny." Erik said sternly.

Aubrey sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Well, when you get home and take some Tylenol and go rest." Erik said and Aubrey nodded her head.

The drive to Aubrey's house went by too quickly for Aubrey. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." Erik said as he put the car in park in her driveway.

"Okay. I think your right about the Tylenol, my head hurts a lot."

Aubrey got out of the car and walked over to Erik's open window. "Don't be late picking me up tomorrow." Aubrey said with a smile on her face and leaned in and placed a tender kiss on his lips and turned to walk back towards the house.

Before Aubrey could take two steps though Erik's arm shot out of the window and closed on Aubrey's arm pulling her back to the car and eagerly placed his lips to hers.

Aubrey got a warm feeling in her whole body and deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth and felt Erik's warm breath in her mouth and that nearly sent her into hysterics. Aubrey's cheek was groaning in protest though, but Aubrey didn't really care.

When she pulled away this time Erik let her go, though he held her hand until he couldn't anymore. "I won't be late."

Aubrey walked into the house filled with happiness and couldn't keep the huge grin off her face, but that soon vanished when she got through the door.

When Lacey saw Aubrey's face she started flipping out asking how Erik could do that to Aubrey. Aubrey had to finally shout 'listen to me!' before Lacey stopped jabbering.

"Mom, Erik didn't do this to me, Lawrence did! He freaked out when I told him things were over, and had been for a while and he flew off the handle and slapped me. If Erik hadn't been there who knows what would have happened." Aubrey said.

Then Aubrey had to listen to a long speech of how Lacey never thought Lawrence could do that, and he was always such a nice sweet boy, and on, and on.

Finally when Aubrey told her mother that her head was throbbing and needed to lie down, Lacey finally let her go.

Aubrey headed towards the kitchen and got a glass of Kool-Aid and two Tylenol. She sat down at the kitchen table and made herself drink the whole glass, but Aubrey still felt nauseous. It probably was that she had been slapped that she felt sick to her stomach.

Aubrey gently laid her forehead down on the table and closed her eyes waiting for the Tylenol to kick in. It almost felt like Aubrey had a migraine, though she had never had one, she had heard what they felt like.

The phone rang and it made Aubrey wince. "Ruthie, phone's for you." Her mother shouted.

Grudgingly Aubrey got off the chair and answered the phone in the kitchen. It was Jane.

"Hey, I wanted to see if you wanted to go out tonight to celebrate your new freedom!" Jane gushed on the phone.

"No Jane, I don't feel very well. I had sort of an incident today."

"Oh, did you and Erik break up?" Jane asked.

"Wait, how do you know were going out?" Aubrey asked with a small laugh.

"Aubrey! It's so obvious to everyone…so did he break up with you?" Jane asked as she rushed through the first part.

"No, my ex-boyfriend drove up to see me, though I made it perfectly clear that we were over, and he hit me."

"What! Were you there by your self? How did you get out of there? Are you okay?"

"Jane, Jane, calm down. Erik was with me, yes your right we are dating, Erik actually punched him back." Aubrey said with a giggle thinking of how Erik's fist made contact with Lawrence's jaw. At this moment, she really hope that Erik broke his jaw.

"Should I come over?"

"Actually if you want to you can, but I'm not in a wonderful mood, my head fees like it is about to split open."

"Well maybe we can just talk about you and Erik." Jane said, and Aubrey knew that she had a huge grin on her face and was planning on drilling Aubrey for every last ounce of gossip she could possible get.

Aubrey said goodbye and hung up the phone. On her way through the front room Aubrey asked her mother when Jane got here if she could just send her upstairs.

Once in the privacy of her bedroom Aubrey walked to the full length mirror and saw her face for the first time. It really was bad. The center of her cheek was swollen and a deep purple.

Why was it so simple for men to just give out a backhanded slap, it was the same in every movie…just whack!

Aubrey could see exactly where his knuckles had struck her cheek because that's where the swelling and bruising was the worse. There were small scratches near her ear where his fingernails had scratched her. Between the scratches and swelling was a brownish bruise, but not nearly as bad as the center of her cheek.

No amount of makeup could cover this. Maybe Jane would have a better idea of how to fix this.

Finally when Jane got there she had some home remedies that Aubrey should try. First off she made Aubrey take some vitamin K, then made some kind of paste of cayenne pepper and Vaseline and smoothed it over her bruise.

After the health tips Jane laid into Aubrey about some gossip, but of course Aubrey couldn't say everything, but Aubrey did tell Jane about the kiss today, then the conversation got turned to what Erik was going to get Aubrey for her birthday.

"How in the world would I know?!?" Aubrey said with a laugh.

"Maybe he is going to get you a promise ring!" Jane said suddenly.

"Please Jane! We have only been dating for a little while." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

After an hour or so of chatting Jane had to leave and Aubrey laid down in her bed and thought about what Jane had said about a promise ring. Maybe he would. Their relationship wasn't exactly a normal one. Well it was, it just had a deeper significant meaning than other relationships with teenagers their age.

Was it so crazy to think about marrying Erik? Aubrey did see them eventually getting married. Maybe that wasn't such a crazy idea after all.

Aubrey went to bed and had a dreamless sleep for a change.

**First off, I need to thank Adinah, my step-mom, because she looked up the home remedies about the bruise. I want to give a huge thank you to all my wonderful readers, because your reviews is what keeps me going, and makes me continue to write the stories, so please, please review! Maybe you guys can get me past 100 reviews!! You are all wonderful readers, and I really enjoy reading and responding to your reviews, so keep them coming. Oh and I have posted a Twilight one-shot called New Beginnings, so if you like Twilight you should check it out.**

**Desiree'**


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 15

When Aubrey woke up and realized it was her birthday. Finally 17. Aubrey couldn't believe in one short year she would be 18 and be moving out of the house soon.

Aubrey got dressed and went downstairs and found that her mother had made her waffles.

"Yum! My favorite." Aubrey said as she sat down and started eating.

"Now Aubrey, I know normally we have a huge family thing, but I know last year you told me you were to big for that. If you want, we can just wait for this weekend, and we can all just go see a movie or something."

Aubrey's eyes lit up. "Really! Thanks mom. You're the best." Aubrey said as she hugged her mother.

"Does that mean I can go out for my birthday with my friends?" Aubrey asked.

"Well no, there's something already planned."

Aubrey groaned. "Aww mom, you said no family thing!"

"It's not a family thing. It's just a surprise though, so after school come home okay."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Okay, if you say so."

Aubrey heard a knock on the door and a smile came to her face. "Okay, I'll be home after school. Bye mom!" Aubrey said as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

"Bye honey, happy birthday!" Lacey shouted to Aubrey's backside.

Aubrey threw open the door and there stood Erik in a dark navy blue shirt, and black jeans. Erik stood there with his arms open and Aubrey gladly went into his arms for a hug.

"Happy birthday Aubrey," Erik whispered into her ear and Aubrey felt a chill run down her spine. "Ready to go?"

Aubrey pulled back from their hug. "Yes I suppose." Aubrey said with a smile on her face.

Erik held the door open for her and Aubrey sat down in his car.

When Erik go it Aubrey turned to him. "So how bad does the bruise look now? Jane has been putting this paste stuff on my face; I think it has been helping." Aubrey asked hopeful.

Her bruise had faded to a murky brown color, and the scratches under her ear had turned into a pink puffy scrape. Between the scratches and the murky brown of her bruise where Lawrence's knuckles struck her was a yellow color.

Erik reached up his hand and placed it gently on her cheek. "It looks much better. You could probably cover it up now if you wanted."

"Yeah, I know, but I hate wearing foundation, it feels like I'm frosting my face." Aubrey said with a laugh.

The school was pretty shocked to see Aubrey yesterday. The bruise was much worse, and people assumed it was Erik that had done it, of course Jane help tell everyone that it wasn't and it was just something that happened.

Today wasn't much better because the whole school already disliked Erik, and still found Aubrey new and exciting. People couldn't understand how Aubrey would date that cold hearted, masked man.

Aubrey didn't pay any attention to them. Jane had told Aubrey that the whole school secretly had a crush on Erik, but was to ashamed to say anything about it.

Today though Jane, and everyone else seemed to have a huge smile on her face. The table that Aubrey sat at for lunch was used to Erik sitting with then now, even the guys that sat with them.

Finally after all the girls had smiles on their faces Aubrey burst out "What! What is everyone so smiley about?"

As soon as Aubrey said this their smiles disappeared, but she could tell they were trying to hide something.

"Fine, don't tell, me it's only my birthday." Aubrey said with her arms crossed.

The rest of the day went like that. Her friends smiling at her and giggling all day long. When the bell finally rang Aubrey was so ready to get out of school and away from the secrets.

Erik drover her home as always. "I'll see you tomorrow okay." Erik said after I had given him a kiss through his open window.

"I wish I could see you later tonight, but my mom said that there is something she is going to surprise me with something. It's driving me insane, I want to spend my birthday with you."

"Don't worry about it, we'll do something this weekend. I promise." Erik said with a smile on his face.

Aubrey went inside and the second she stepped in her mother ambushed her.

She took the bag from her shoulder and tied a cloth over her eyes.

"Mother what are you doing?" Aubrey shrieked at her.

"It's part of the surprise." Lacey said with a huge smile on her face.

Aubrey felt herself being led upstairs and into her parent's room.

Lacey started to pull a brush through her hair. "Okay I'm going to take this off your eyes, but you have to keep them closed.

"Okay, just tell me what's going on." Aubrey said with a sigh.

"Nope, it's a surprise!" Lacey said.

So Aubrey closed her eyes and let her mother poke and prod her. Then after a few minutes Aubrey heard Jane's voice.

"Has she figured it out?" Jane said.

"No, you can do her makeup if you like." Lacey said.

Jane started applying foundation to her face. "Wait Jane, no! I don't like foundation, where it is that you guys are planning on taking me, it doesn't need foundation."

Jane sighed. "Aubrey, we have to cover up that bruise, and this is the only thing that will do it.

"Fine," Aubrey said.

After what felt like two hours her mother was done with her hair and Jane was done with her makeup.

"Don't open your eyes, because we still have to get you dressed." Jane said as she grabbed Aubrey's hand and pulled her into her room. "Okay Aubrey, strip, I need to get you dressed, and don't open your eyes yet."

Aubrey pulled her socks and shoes off and her pants as well. "Wait what about my shirt, I would have to pull it over my head."

"NO! Oh wait, I got it." Jane shouted.

Aubrey heard the menacing sound of scissors. "No Jane, this is one of my favorite shirts." Aubrey moaned.

It was to late though. Jane had cut a line right up the back and pulled her shirt off from the front.

"Okay lift your left leg up," and Aubrey did, and felt something soft and cold. Jane told her to do the same with the right leg. Aubrey could tell it was a skirt, then felt Jane pull it up higher, and figured it was a dress.

"Put your arms out in front of you." Jane said.

Aubrey was being jerked around as Jane tried to fit a very tight dress on her. "Okay let me zip you up, and put these on." Jane said as she handed Aubrey some panty hose.

"Gah, I hate these." Aubrey moaned.

"Quit being a baby, and just do it." Jane said with a smile.

Aubrey had a hard time putting them on and could feel the dress was fluffy.

After she did though Jane put some shoes on her feet and Aubrey could tell they were high heeled shoes.

"Okay you are done!" Jane said with a clap of her hands. "You look stunning."

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Aubrey asked.

"Well I suppose so." Jane and Aubrey opened her eyes and looked into the full length mirror, and was shocked.

The dress was a full length formal dress. It was a soft blue and white color that was stripped like a candy cane on the skirt part. The top part was white and had sequins on it. The straps were like a tank top, and the straps were thick. On her arms were bands that went across the top part of the arms only three inches thick.

Her hair was elegantly piled up on top of her head in curls, and had little jewels around it. She could barely see the bruise on her cheek. Her eye shadow had a hint of blue, but there was some white sparkle on the lids.

Her lips were colored a soft pink, and there was a rosy color on her cheeks.

Aubrey was speechless and turned to Jane with her mouth hanging open. There was a huge grin on Jane's face. "Do you like?"

"Yes I love it! Where are we going though, your not even ready yet." Aubrey said, she was still too stunned to say anything.

Jane rolled her eyes. "I'm not going with you. I believe your ride is downstairs, I think I heard the door open a second ago."

Aubrey just nodded her head, still confused.

"Just follow me." Jane said as she walked out of her room. Aubrey followed and walked downstairs.

She saw Erik standing at the bottom of the stairs looking stunning in an elegant tuxedo. It was a classic black tux with a white shirt and a black bowtie. He was holding a blue corsage in a little see through box.

Aubrey made it to the bottom of the stairs. "Erik, wow, you look absolutely amazing." Aubrey said looking flabbergasted.

"Are you ready to leave?" Erik said with a huge smile on his face.

**So I have waited to update until today because I'm going on a well deserved vacation, and I will be gone for a week. I have also updated my Twilight story as well. I want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, it means so much to me, and yay for reaching over the 100 review mark! Thank you to everyone who added my story to their favorites, or added me to their favorite authors. **

**Desiree'**


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opear**

Chapter 16

"Where exactly are we going?" Aubrey asked looking skeptical.

"It's still a surprise." Erik said with a smile on my face. Aubrey looked over at her mother and Jane and they both had smiles on their faces as well.

Lacey walked over to Aubrey and kissed her gently on her face. "You have a good time okay."

Then Jane came up and gave her a hug. "Happy birthday Aubrey, I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Aubrey's jaw was still on the floor as she turned to look at Erik. He was holding the corsage out for her and Aubrey stuck her left wrist out and he placed it on her wrist. Erik held his left arm out and Aubrey wound her right arm through his.

Erik walked her to the door and when they got out Aubrey looked around for his car, but could only see a fancy looking car.

"Erik, where's your car?" Aubrey asked looking around.

"This is my father's car. It's a Bentley." Erik said leading her over to the passenger side of the car.

Once he got in Erik started driving towards town. "Okay, so are you going to keep me in suspense all night?" Aubrey asked. She was almost jumping in her seat.

"Well we are going somewhere I know you will like. Does that help?"

"No! I need to know where were going." Aubrey said.

"Did you know there is a magnificent theater a few towns over?" Erik asked her.

Aubrey was completely thrown by the question. "Umm, no….should I?"

"Well that's where I'm taking you."

"Really! Oh wow Erik, I haven't been to the theater since I was little. What are we going to see?" Aubrey asked excitement filling her voice.

"I'm sure you can guess. Tonight is their last night here. But first we are going to eat."

Aubrey was so excited. There was only one opera that Aubrey dearly wanted to see again, and this was probably it. Phantom of the Opera.

Erik pulled into a very expensive looking restaurant. "Is this where were eating?" Aubrey asked.

"Of course it is. Do you like it?" Erik asked looking serious.

"Yes, it's beautiful, but it looks very expensive, and I don't know how you already bought tickets to an opera, plus getting me this dress, it must have cost you a lot."

Erik had bought the dress she was wearing and had given it to Lacey to keep it for him. He had asked for Aubrey's parent's permission to take her out tonight, and they had agreed, and Lacey was all for a romantic evening out for Aubrey's birthday, her father on the other hand didn't get into the idea as much as her mother.

"You don't need to worry about how much this costs." Erik said firmly. "Don't you remember my great, great, great, great grandfather? He was rich, well that sort of thing gets passed down, and lets just say my family is not lacking in comfort."

Aubrey started playing with her finger nails, something she did when she was nervous. "I'm not sure Erik…"

"Don't worry about it Aubrey, I just want you to have a wonderful time on your birthday." Erik said interrupting her.

Aubrey gave up with a sigh, knowing it wouldn't get her anywhere. She had ordered a simple meal of some kind of noodle dish with a salad. Erik had gotten a steak.

Aubrey was almost giddy for the check to come so she could find out where they were going exactly. Erik flagged the waiter down and he gave Erik a little black leather book with the restaurants logo on it.

He pulled a credit card out of his wallet and placed it in the book and handed it back to him.

"How in the world do you have a credit card?" Aubrey asked.

Erik looked at her with surprise. "Are you telling me you don't have one?"

Aubrey burst out laughing. "I turned 17 today, did you really expect me to have any credit to actually get one?"

"Well I have had this one for a year now. It's an excellent way to earn credit, you know in a year you will be out on your own and need credit to get things. A car, or an apartment, or something like that."

"Oh, well that makes sense." Aubrey said with a small blush. She hadn't even thought about getting any kind of credit at her age, but now that Erik pointed it out so easily, she wondered how she didn't think of it herself.

The waiter came back and Erik signed it and replaced the card back in his wallet. He stood up and walked around to the back of Aubrey's chair and helped her scoot it out and gave her a hand to help herself up.

"You know Erik, I'm not made of lace, and you of anyone should know how hard I can hit." Aubrey said with a small giggle.

Erik nodded his head and whispered in her ear. "But I'm being a gentleman tonight. It's rare, so burn this into your memory."

A chill when through Aubrey's whole body as his lips brushed her ear. She turned around suddenly and placed her lips to his. It was a very quick kiss and she pulled back to look at his face, and it showed surprise.

Aubrey couldn't help but laugh a little.

Erik once again stuck his arm out and Aubrey laced her arm through his. "Erik, this has been a wonderful night so far."

"I hope you're not ready to go home yet, because the fun hasn't even begun to start." Erik said as he helped her into the car.

"Erik, you are going to have to drag me home. I would love to just run away with you and start our lives together right now." Aubrey said then blushed at her words. She usually wasn't so outgoing about their relationship.

Erik's laugh filled the whole car. "I wouldn't say that if I were you, because I know if we really did something like that, you would miss your family terrible. Not that I couldn't take care of you, I have the resources, but I know what's best for you."

Aubrey blushed again. Erik had some relaxing Mozart music on in the background, and Aubrey felt herself becoming more at ease.

After only a few minutes Erik pulled into a short line and got out and let the valet take his car. He waited for his ticket. Aubrey was very impressed at his knowledge of what to do and where to go. If Aubrey had gone to something like this herself, she would have no idea what was going on.

It was very apparent that Erik was used to a high society. "Erik, how do you know so much about all this classy stuff?" Aubrey asked shyly as Erik was leading up steps into a private box.

"Well, my mother has always enjoyed the finer things in life, and I guess she bread them into me. All this comes naturally I guess. Why, are you uncomfortable?"

"No! I love this, you are making me feel like a princess." Aubrey confessed.

"Well good." Erik said as the lights dimmed.

The music started and Aubrey gave a gasp, it was in fact Phantom of the Opera, Aubrey didn't even know they still put on a production of this.

Aubrey watched the whole play with Erik by her side in a private box, which she secretly told herself was box five.

Intermission came and went and at the end Aubrey had cursed herself because tears started streaming down her face. The movie did that to her every time, but seeing it performed right in front of you had more effect.

Aubrey was one of the many to give a standing ovation. After the clapping died out Aubrey sat down and grabbed her purse. She dug out a compact mirror and silently thanked Jane for putting waterproof mascara on her. Nothing was out of place.

She turned to Erik and pressed her mouth to his. "Erik, this was by far the most wonderful birthday I could have ever imagined." Aubrey said as soon as she pulled herself away from him.

A huge grin came to Erik's face. "I know you would love it. Now if you are ready to go, I really need to get you home before you dad thinks that I have indeed run away with you."

Erik lead her to the front of the car and waited patiently for the valet to bring his car around. He gave him a tip and helped her into the car.

Halfway home Erik suddenly pulled into a gas station. "What in the world are you doing Erik?" Aubrey asked with confusion in her voice.

"Well I thought we could get a treat, you deserve some chocolate."

Aubrey looked at Erik for a full minute before bursting out into laughter. "Wow Erik, this is really by far the best date/birthday I have ever been on. What could be better than a Reese cup at the end of the night?"

Erik grinned and got out of the car. He excused himself to go into the restrooms and Aubrey was strolling up the isles to find her a Reese. There were a group of two guys and a girl standing in the isle she went into.

She picked up a king sized candy bar and was looking around for what Erik might want. He ended up getting a plain Hershey's bar.

Erik went to the counter and paid for it. They happily ate their chocolate going down the highway.

When Erik pulled into her driveway she didn't want to get out. This had been a perfect evening and Aubrey didn't want to make it end, and so she told Erik this.

"Aubrey, I will see you at school tomorrow, so don't worry." Erik said brushing her check with the back of his fingers. Aubrey's head tipped towards his fingers.

"Okay, I'll get out, but only because your making me." Aubrey said stubbornly.

"I know." Erik said with a grin on his face.

He leaned in and gave her a deep kiss on the lips, which Aubrey refused to break for several minutes.

Aubrey got out of the car and walked to the front door. She turned to wave at him and he rolled down his window and beckoned for her.

Aubrey went back to his car. He got out and stood in front of her wrapping his arms around her. He placed his forehead against hers.

"I just wanted to tell you something." Erik said softly.

It sounded to Aubrey as if there was something bothering him. His voice seemed to be quivering slightly. This was very out of character for him.

"I wanted to tell you that I love you, and you are the only woman that I want to spend my whole life with. I just thought you should know that."

Tears came to Aubrey's eyes. "I love you too Erik. I'm always going to be there for you."

Erik gave her another kiss and this time let her go into her house without calling her back. Aubrey walked into the front room to tell her mother she was home, her father was asleep in his chair. She told her mother about the evening and told her what an amazing time she had.

Aubrey went upstairs and washed off all the makeup Jane had applied to her. She went to bed thinking that she couldn't be happier if she tried. This really was a perfect day.

**Yes there was fluff. I'm not 100% sure if they still put on Phantom of the Opera anywhere, but I thougth what the hell, it's my story so I'm going to do what I want lol! I will tell you that there is going to be some drama soon, I'm not sure if it will be the next chapter or not, but I just wanted to let you guys know that it's coming! Thank you to everyone who reviewed or added my story to their alerts! You readers are the best!!! I had a wonderful time on vacation, and I want to thank everyone for waiting for this update! Oh, and there is a picture of what Aubrey's dress looks like on a link on my home page. I searched for hours trying to find the exact dress I wanted, and couldn't find it, so I ended up drawing it, and I'm not the best artist, but you will at least get a virtual aid!**

**Desiree'**


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 17

Phantom Erik was sitting at a piano bench and finished playing something Aubrey couldn't recognize.

"That was beautiful." Aubrey said clapping her hands.

He turned to look at her and sighed. "Well thank you. I see you're in a good mood." Phantom Erik said with a knowing smile.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Please Erik. You know why I'm in a good mood. You're my 'guardian angel'." She said with quotations around guardian angel.

"I don't think we will go through this conversation again." Erik said angrily.

"Okay, okay!" She said holding her hands up in surrender. "Well since we are on this topic, why was I the lucky one to get you as my guardian angel? There are tons of girls who would kill to have you visit them in dreams almost every night."

"Because of Erik. It was destined for him to love you, and I don't want to see him end up the same way I did."

The look in Phantom Erik's eyes was enough to bring tears to Aubrey's eyes. She walked over to him and wrapper her arms around him. He seemed to tense up a bit so she pulled away.

"What happened to you Erik?" Aubrey asked him.

"Well you know my story up until Christine left me. She went off and married that childish fop. They were apparently very happy together, but that left me alone and miserable.

"I was forced to leave the only place I had been mildly happy. I left Paris and set out to America to try to live my life as best I could. I had made something of a name for myself at that time, and her mother was looking to set her daughter up with a wealthy man.

"Unfortunately for her it was me that her mother set eyes on. I never did love Iris, but I was happy. Well as happy as I could be with my heart shattered. When she told me she was pregnant, I came so close to killing her. I couldn't stand to know that my disfigurement would be passed, but she gave birth to Samson, and he was perfect, that was all I could ask for.

"I lived only long enough to see Samson get married and have James. That's when the rest of my heart broke into a thousand pieces. I knew then that my curse skipped a generation. Days after James was born I passed on."

Aubrey looked at him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for telling me this Erik." Aubrey said softly.

He nodded his head. "Just be good to him Aubrey." He said and turned to look at me. Aubrey could herself in his eyes and she realized that she no longer loved Phantom Erik. It was _her _Erik that she loved now and smiled.

"Yes, I knew you would eventually get that." He said with a smile.

Aubrey woke from her alarm going off. She sat up and had a smile plastered to her face. It was nice knowing that she didn't love that Erik anymore, and loved the real life Erik. She looked at the poster on her wall. He looked so much like her Erik.

Aubrey got ready for school and had butterflies in her stomach as she saw Erik pull into her driveway. She shouted a goodbye to her parents and rushed out of the house.

When she got into his normal car she leaned over and kissed him.

Once they were at school Aubrey could see that something was different. Her friends were sitting around her and Erik, and even Harry's friends were still sitting with the 'group'.

After minutes of uncomfortable silence Aubrey asked what was up. At that half the group got up and left. Aubrey was perplexed.

"Aubrey, maybe we should talk." Jane whispered to her.

Aubrey nodded her head and turned to Erik. "I'll see you in class okay?"

"Yeah."

Aubrey followed Jane into the girl's bathroom. "Jane, what is it?"

"Well, I didn't have a chance to call you this morning, and you were gone last night. After I got home from your house Ashley called me. She isn't very happy with you."

"What? Why?" Aubrey asked confused.

"It appears that she likes Erik. Well she says she is in love with him, and she has got Dannielle, and Alice on her side. As well as Chad, Alex, and Aaron. Well they are still hurt that you went from Harry to Erik so quickly."

"That's stupid! She was one of the ones who told me to stay away from Erik…oh." Aubrey said as it dawned on her. "She wanted Erik for herself."

Jane nodded her head. "I just thought you ought to know."

Aubrey hugged her. "Thanks Jane. I might talk to her later."

The bell rang and Aubrey and Jane headed to class. They were only a couple doors down from their class so they got there very quickly. Aubrey walked into the class room and gasped.

Ashley had her arms wrapped around Erik with her body pressed up against him. What she was seeing shocked her beyond belief. Ashley's lips were pressed against Erik's.

Aubrey turned around and started to run down the hallway. She could hear some steps behind her. She had reached the end of the corridor when she heard Jane run up next to her out of breath.

She felt a touch on her shoulder and shrugged Jane's hand off.

"Aubrey…I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say." Jane said softly.

"Jane can you take me home?" Aubrey asked her voice thick with emotion.

"Why don't we just go to my house. My parents are both working."

Aubrey nodded her head and headed towards the doors that would lead them outside. The ride to Jane's house was in silence.

When they arrived at Jane's house they went to her bedroom and put in some loud music to distract them.

"I can't believe he would do that to me." Aubrey sobbed into Jane's shoulder somewhere around lunch time.

Jane pulled her into a hug and patted her back. "And you know the worse thing? He told me he loved me last night before I came in."

"Honey, I'm so sorry. Men can be scumbags; I was hoping that Erik was different." Jane said. She turned her head as she heard a car door slam.

"Shit, my parents came home early!" Jane said as she got up to look out of the window. "Oh. Aubrey, it's Erik." She said then Aubrey heard the bell ring.

"Tell him that I don't want to see him." Aubrey said crossing her arms.

Jane left her room and answered the door. Aubrey stood by Jane's bedroom door to hear what Erik and Jane were saying.

"Hi Jane, can you get Aubrey, I know she left with you." Erik said sternly.

"No Erik, Aubrey sand she didn't want to see you." Jane said just as sternly.

"Please Jane. She has to know what happened." Erik said softly.

"What that you decided to ditch her? How could you do that to her Erik? She really cared for you." Jane said.

"What do you mean cared?" He asked sounding hurt.

"Do you expect her to love you after this? You cheated on her! I think it's time you left." She said than slammed the door.

Aubrey could hear him shouting outside, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Jane came back in to a tearful Aubrey.

There was nothing Aubrey wanted to say, and Jane could tell that. They both sat on Jane's bed listening to music. After a while Jane got on the phone.

"Hey girl, what are you doing? Yeah, I didn't feel like staying. Hey, do you want to come over for a bit? I'm totally bored. Okay great. See you soon!" Jane said than hung up.

Aubrey looked at her quizzically. "What was that about?"

"Nothing, but I think you should talk to Ashley." Jane said.

"You mean slap the bitch!" Aubrey shouted.

"No, you need to find out what's going on first." Jane said.

Ten long minutes later Jane and Aubrey could hear Ashley knock on the door. Jane let her in and brought her into the bedroom where Aubrey was waiting.

"How could you do that Ashley?" Aubrey asked her.

"Aubrey, you had your chance to make him happy, and he wasn't so he came running to someone who could."

"I thought we were friends."

"Yeah, we are, but like I said. I only want to make him happy, and he's happy with me." Ashley said.

"Well I hope you two are very happy together." Aubrey said before bursting into tears and walking out of the room.

"Wait, Aubrey don't go!" Jane yelled at her.

Aubrey didn't stop though. She was already out of the house walking towards her own home.

She was halfway there when she heard her name being called. She couldn't tell who it was, but knew it would be Erik and she didn't want to speak to him.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes intending to yell at Erik to leave her alone. She didn't see Erik, but a very familiar looking truck. A Luv as a matter of fact.

"Well aren't' you a sight for sore eyes!"

**I told you there would be drama...and guess who's back! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you to everyone who reveiwed the last chapter and who added me to their favorite author, or added the story to your favorite lists! That means the world to me.**

**Desiree'**


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 18

Aubrey was somewhat shocked. She was shocked to see him standing there, but not shocked because he said he would visit. It was nice to see a friendly face when Aubrey didn't really know, besides Jane, who was on her side, and who was just pretending.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Aubrey asked him as he got out of his truck.

He walked over to her and she pulled him into a hug. "Aubrey, it's so nice to see you too." Harry said with a chuckle.

Harry had started to pull away, but Aubrey clung to him tighter. "Are you crying?" Harry asked concerned.

Even though Aubrey was crying she shook her head no. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you by coming here." Harry said softly.

Aubrey pulled back. "Oh no Harry, it isn't you. I'm sorry, I have just had a bad day and it's nice to see a friendly face."

Before Harry could even ask about Aubrey's day, she dived into telling him everything. She told him that she and Erik had started dating after Harry left, she told him about them trying to hide their relationship, and about Lawrence, and even her birthday. She finally got to the part where she saw Ashley locking lips with Erik, and even the small fight with Ashley at Jane's house.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in." Harry said. They had moved into Harry's truck so they could actually sit.

"I know, you didn't want to hear that right after you left I started dating someone else, but I just don't know who to talk to."

Harry reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'm not going to say everything is going to be okay, because I don't know, but you should know that you will always have a friend in me."

"Thanks Harry, I really need to hear that right now." Aubrey said giving him a smile. "So what are you doing here?" She asked as he let go of her hand and started the truck.

"Well my grades aren't doing very well, and my parents thought that taking me out of the school I have been going to since kindergarten was harsh, so they asked me if I wanted to stay with my grandparents so I could finish school, and here I am."

"You're moving back here!" Aubrey asked surprised.

"Yup, I moved my stuff into my grandparent's house yesterday. Tomorrow I start going back to school."

Aubrey was glad to hear that. "Well do you think you could pick me up for school tomorrow? I would ask Jane, but she usually picks some of the other girls up, and I really don't want to be around them right now."

Aubrey also knew that her showing up to school riding in Harry's truck would make Erik very jealous, and that is exactly what Aubrey wanted for him to feel right now.

"Yeah I can get you, but you have to tell Erik so he won't pound my face in for driving his girlfriend to school."

"I am not his girlfriend now. That's one thing I can't stand is for someone to cheat on me. That is an automatic breakup." Aubrey said as he pulled into her driveway. "Do you want to come in for a bit and hang out?"

"Yeah, my grandparent's won't mind." Harry said as he got out of the truck.

They walked into the house "Mom, look who's moved back!" Aubrey shouted.

Lacey walked into the front room from the kitchen. "Harry, what a nice surprise, when did your family move back?" Lackey asked with a smile on her face.

"Oh, just me. I'm staying with my grandparents until I graduate next year." Said Harry.

"Well it's nice to have you back." Lacey said as she walked back into the kitchen. Aubrey could hear her washing dishes in the sink.

They walked to the couch and sat down and put something on. They settled down into a comfortable silence.

"Do you still love him?" Harry asked suddenly.

Aubrey didn't really know what to say from that. Yes of course she still loved Erik, but cheating was the ultimate betrayal, and she couldn't forgive him for doing that, especially with someone who she thought was a friend.

"That means there is no hope for me right?" Harry asked softly. "I can tell you do still love him just from the look on your face. I still like you a lot you know."

"Oh Harry." Aubrey said sighing. "I don't mean to hurt you, but I do still love Erik. I don't know what to do though! How could I ever forgive him, or even trust him again. I'm always going to be wondering now who he's with."

Harry put his arm around Aubrey. "I know your going through a rough time, and I will behave myself, but I do still like you, but I want you to be happy, and if he makes you happy then you should talk to him."

Aubrey nodded. "Your right, but I think I better cool off. I will talk to him tomorrow at school, but I still want you to drive me." She said pointing her finger at him.

He smiled. "Well, I should really get going. I still have a lot of unpacking, but I will be here, but tell Erik not to pick you up." He said as he headed for the door.

Aubrey sighed and headed upstairs. She didn't want to talk to Erik right now, so she decided to write an e-mail. She logged onto her computer and signed off on her messenger, because she didn't want to talk to him through that either.

The e-mail was simple and straight forward.

**Erik**

**What you did to me today is unforgivable, but I am willing to talk to you tomorrow at school. I do not want to see you, or talk to you until then, so do not pick me up for school tomorrow, I am having someone else pick me up. You have hurt me more than I thought you could.**

**Aubrey**

Aubrey took a deep breath before clicking on the send button. She knew that he would end up calling her so Aubrey headed back downstairs.

"Mom, if anyone calls for me tonight can you take a message? I don't really feel well." Aubrey said making herself look sickly.

Lacey placed a hand on her forehead, "Well you're not running a fever, why don't you go lie down and I'll tell anyone who calls that they will see you tomorrow."

"Thanks mom." Aubrey said as she headed back upstairs.

When she reached her bedroom she unplugged her personal phone and put in a CD to help her get her mind off everything. It was the first Avril Lavigne CD and she turned it down on low.

The phone started to ring and Aubrey knew it was Erik. He had read her e-mail. Aubrey rolled over on her bed and curled into a ball and let the tears fall freely. She couldn't understand how Erik could do that to her? Was that just the type of guy he was? If he wasn't getting everything he needed at that time he had to find someone else?

Aubrey thought that Erik was different from the other losers. Even Phantom Erik seemed to be mocking Aubrey now. All those dreams of Phantom Erik saying that Erik loved her and for Aubrey to do good to _him_ seemed like a lie now. All Aubrey wanted to do was leave and never look back. Just forget about how her heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

Aubrey was desperate to know exactly what was going on in his mind, and she wondered if Erik had maybe written her back. She plugged her phone back in and signed back onto the internet. She once again closed out her messenger and clicked on her e-mail.

Her first e-mail was from Jane.

**Aubrey,**

**I know your hurting right now, but if you need to talk call me tonight. I really laid into Ashley after you left; she had no right to do that to you. If you want me to pick you up tomorrow call me, otherwise I'll assume you will find your own way, if you're even going to go, which I can't blame you if you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you.**

**Jane**

Aubrey smiled and knew that she had at least two friends at school now that didn't hate her and was on her side. The next e-mail was from Erik and Aubrey contemplated weather she really wanted to read it or not. She clicked the delete button without even reading it.

Aubrey closed her eyes and unplugged her phone cord again, and made her way to her bed once again. She couldn't understand how her life had been so happy one second, then so miserable and horrible the next second.

Life was so damn hard and Aubrey didn't want to be surrounded by all this horribleness, she wanted to be surrounded by someone who did love her and wouldn't hurt her. Would it be so terrible to be with Harry again? She did care for Harry, and even though they had some little fights before they broke up, Aubrey didn't really think that she should just completely forget about Harry.

Was it right for her to forget about Erik completely? He did hurt her beyond what she thought he was capable of. She was on the verge of plugging her phone back in and calling Harry, but decided against it.

She rolled over and saw that it was 10 o'clock at night and Aubrey was shocked, she had been in her trance for several hours now. She knew her parents wouldn't be asleep, but in their rooms, so Aubrey silently opened her bedroom window. She crawled out of the window and onto the little roof thing below her window. She was on the second floor, but she doubted that the fall would be to long, so she jumped.

Aubrey started walking towards Harry's grandparent's house. This was a small enough town for everyone to know where everyone lived. When she got there she figured his grandparents would be asleep, and wasn't sure which bedroom would even be Harry's. She then saw a light flick on in a room on the first floor and the blinds start to lower, and before they could reach to the bottom she saw Harry.

Aubrey ran quietly to his room and tapped on it because the blinds were now all the way down. She saw him lift one slat of the blinds and saw his eyes staring out at her. Then they were pulled up to a shocked Harry.

He opened the window. "Aubrey what are you doing here?" Harry asked in a whisper.

Aubrey stared openmouthed at Harry. He was wearing grey track pants and no shirt. She saw that Harry was very toned. Aubrey knew that he was fit by just looking at him, but seeing him without a shirt was very different. She could see every muscle in his stomach, chest, shoulders and arms.

"Is everything okay?" He asked. He sounded very worried. Aubrey shook her head to try to get the image of him out of her mind.

"Yeah I'm okay; I just needed a friendly face." Aubrey said softly.

Harry turned to look at his bedroom and climbed out of his window. "Harry, I just wanted to let you know, that you are not out of the picture, and I don't want you to give up on me."

Harry look surprised. He reached out for her and pulled Aubrey close to him and kissed her.

**First off I want to say: Katie, this chapter is for you, and I know things will turn out okay. So I told you I was going to spice things up a bit! Let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and added this story to the alerts or favorites, or added me to their updates or favorites. That means a lot of me. I also need some reviews because I did something really stupid to my hair, and it's very upsetting. If you want to know what I did, you could just ask.**

**Desiree'**


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 19

Aubrey pulled back from her passionate kiss with Harry. She looked into his brown eyes. "Wow." Was all she could say.

Harry ran his hands through her hair. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't help myself, when you said I wasn't out of the running."

"I should really go home before my parents find me out of the house. I could get in a lot of trouble."

Harry cocked his eyebrow, "Do you really think they would catch you gone? You could come in for a little bit, my grandparents hit the sack, oh about three hours ago." He said with a cocky smile on his face.

Aubrey put a hand on his bare chest and pushed gently. "Go back inside. I'm going home, but you still need to pick me up tomorrow for school."

Harry rolled his eyes good naturally. "Have a good night then Aubrey, I will see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

Aubrey started her way back to her house, her head buzzing from everything that had just happened. How could Aubrey have done something like that? She still loved Erik, but was really hurt by the way he just cheated on her, even though he said he loved her.

She reached her house and walked up the steps. From there she could reach the roof landing outside her window and crawled in through the window.

She quickly brushed her hair, which had been tangled from Harry running his hands through it, changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. She quickly fell asleep.

Aubrey was now in a room that was very familiar to her, though she had never been there. It was Phantom Erik's music/art room, and Erik towered over her.

"What the hell was that about?!?" Phantom Erik shouted at her.

Aubrey crossed her arms across her chest. "Don't even start with me Erik."

"You haven't even talked to him, or given him the chance to explain." Phantom Erik said angrily.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Oh please, are you telling me you know exactly what happened, like you are aware of everything that goes on from day to day."

"Haven't you noticed how knowledgeable I am?" Phantom Erik asked. "Remember what I am, guardian angel. I see all, know all, and hear all, and I saw that ridicules kiss between you and that…that _fop_!"

"Leave me alone!" Aubrey screamed at him. "I will not be scolded like a child for something he did first!"

Phantom Erik grabbed her by the upper arms. "You will not talk to me like that you infernal girl!"

Tears welled up in Aubrey's eyes. She tried to jerk her arms away from his grasp, but he wouldn't let go. She looked up into his angry amber green eyes and felt fear run through her. She was now at eh receiving end of Phantom Erik's wrath, and it scared her beyond anything she has ever been through.

Aubrey felt a hand shaking her. "Aubrey wake up, it's time to go to school." Her mother had said. She opened her eyes and looked at her worried mother.

"Were you having a bad dream? You were muttering in your sleep, and you're still pale, do you not feel well still?" Lacey asked.

Aubrey sat up and whipped away the tears that had welled in her eyes. "No, I'm okay mom."

Aubrey got up out of bed and dressed quickly for school; she heard a very loud engine and knew Harry pulled into her driveway.

"You haven't even eaten breakfast!" Lacey shouted at Aubrey as she made her way towards the door.

"Not hungry." Aubrey shouted over her shoulder and walked outside and shook her head at Harry's pitiful multicolored truck. She climbed into the passenger seat.

"Did you not have a good night?" Harry asked her on the way to school.

Aubrey gave him a small slap on the arm. "And what makes you say that?"

"Nothing, you look beautiful as always, but you just look like you didn't sleep well, you have dark circles under your eyes."

Aubrey flipped the visor down and there was no mirror. "Hey where's the mirror?" Aubrey asked.

"Aubrey, this is an 85, they didn't put mirrors there." Harry said rolling his eyes.

"Well, no I didn't sleep well last night, I had some bad dreams, that's all."

"It wasn't what happened when you came over was it?" Harry asked quietly.

"No Harry, but I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry."

Harry nodded his head. "I knew that's how you would be feeling; you're still in love with him."

Aubrey gently put her hand on his arm. "Harry, I'm really sorry, but I need to talk with Erik, your right, I do still love him, though I don't want to. If I could I would just be happy to ignore the whole situation and be with you, but I have to listen to my heart and my heart is still crying out for Erik."

He pulled into the school and shut off the ignition. "I know your right, but just know, that I'll be here waiting, if you decided I'm what your heart wants."

Aubrey nodded his head and got out of his truck. She needed to find Erik, and do it quickly, but she didn't need to search far because Erik was standing next to her.

"Oh, I see, you dump Harry to go out with me, then you dump me and go running back to Harry, and this time, you don't even tell me." Erik said angrily.

"Erik, it's not like that!" Aubrey said softly. She looked into his amber green eyes, and felt horrible for what she did last night. Then she remembered why she did that in the first place.

"Wait a minute! You started this whole thing by cheating on me! I didn't do anything wrong, Harry was just giving me a ride to school."

"And the fact that you kissed him last night."

Aubrey gasped. "How in the hell do you know about that?"

"It doesn't matter how I know, you still kissed him."

"Yeah! Well you kissed Ashley, so what's the difference?" Aubrey shouted at him.

"Are you as dumb as you look?" Erik asked angrily.

Tears welled in Aubrey's eyes once again.

His eyes seemed to loose some of the fire in them as he saw the tears about to pour down her face, but Aubrey couldn't do anything about it because Harry had apparently heard their whole argument, along with the whole school since they had not kept their voices down.

Harry had shoved Erik from behind so he was pushed into Aubrey, but Aubrey could tell that Harry hadn't pushed him that hard.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Harry said loudly.

Erik turned around, his hands in fists. Aubrey pushed her way past Erik and stood in the middle of Erik and Harry.

"Harry please, this doesn't concern you." Aubrey said.

A whole group of kids had now settled around Harry, Erik, and Aubrey. How could teenagers always sense a fight in the makings?

"Yeah Harry, this doesn't concern you." Erik said mockingly.

Aubrey rounded on him. "At least he had the decency to defend me!" Aubrey said loudly.

"Oh come on Aubrey, can't you tell, he's just trying to get in your pants." Erik said rolling his eyes.

Harry stepped forward and almost squished Aubrey against Erik. "You take that back! I like Aubrey, and I don't make her cry, or cheat on her, I would never do that."

"Yeah, then why was Aubrey already going to break up with you before you left? She was going to break up with you, then your sister died, and she felt bad about that." Erik growled at Harry.

Harry looked hurt and looked at Aubrey. "Is that true?" Harry asked gently.

Aubrey rounded on Erik instead of answering of Harry. "How could you Erik! You are supposed to be true to me, and you not only cheat on me, but you talk of things you should never talk about! I confided in you Erik."

Aubrey turned on her back to Erik. "Harry, can you please just take me home. I'll just tell my mom that I'm still sick."

Harry nodded his head and Aubrey and Harry started to walk away, but Erik grabbed Aubrey by the upper arms and turned her around. When he did this it reminded her of her dream last night.

"Let go of me Erik!" Aubrey shrieked at him and he immediately let go of her.

"We need to talk, just the two of us, you can't always go running off when you don't like what's happening."

"I had planned on talking to you Erik, but I can see I'm just to stupid to keep up with you." Aubrey said then turned back around.

Aubrey and Harry got in his truck and he started to drive away, but they didn't get a mile out of the parking lot when Erik's Eclipse was right behind them.

"Harry, we really do need to talk, just pull over, and I'll call you later okay."

"And what if he does something to you! He was pretty angry at you earlier." Harry said.

"No, it's okay Harry, Erik won't do anything to hurt me. Thanks for defending me today."

Harry pulled over and Aubrey got out. Erik had pulled over right behind Harry's truck so she walked back towards Erik's car as Harry drove away.

Aubrey got in and crossed her arms.

"So you want to talk, start from the beginning."

**Raven: Yes, all my Phantom of the Opera stories, are based off the movie. Christine will always be a brunet, and Erik will always be look like Gerry in the 2004 movie. I know this is a little later than I told everyone, but I have been slightly busy, and I thought I would upload a chapter for Fathers Day, so Happy Fathers Day to all your fathers out there, including mine. I love you dad. Thank you to everyone who did review my last chapter, I love getting reviews!**

**Desiree'**


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: If you recegonize something, then that means I don't own it!**

Chapter 20

"So come on Erik, you wanted to talk to me so badly, now's your chance, it's just you and me now." Aubrey said coldly with her arms crossed.

Erik put the car in drive and started to drive, she recognized it was in the direction of the park that they had gone to before. He didn't say anything until he pulled into an empty spot at the empty parking lot.

"I'm still waiting Erik." Aubrey said.

Erik got out and walked over to Aubrey's door, opening it. He reached over and undid her seat belt.

"What are you doing Erik?" Aubrey asked him.

Erik grabbed her hand and started pulling her from the car, to Aubrey's protest.

"Erik let go of me!" Aubrey shouted. "You can't just pull me around."

Erik roughly pushed Aubrey into the swing.

"You don't ever treat me like you did this morning." Erik finally said when Aubrey looked up at him from the swing.

"Well you don't have to worry, because I'm never going to talk to you again." Aubrey said stubbornly.

"Aubrey listen to yourself. You had just told me how many days ago that you loved me, and this is how you treat me."

"Ha! You should listen to yourself Erik. You said the same thing to me, and then the next day you go off and kiss someone else." Aubrey said trying to fight the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks.

Erik gently grabbed her hands that were on the swing chains. "Aubrey, I tried to explain what happened before, but you wouldn't let me. I didn't kiss Ashley, she kissed me. She was asking me about the homework, and when I started talking to her about it, she kissed me. I tried to push her off, but she had wrapped her arms around me, and I saw you run out of the classroom."

Aubrey looked at Erik and wanted to believe him desperately. "Erik how do I know you aren't just lying to me?"

"If you don't believe me, than I don't know what to say to you. I've told you the truth, about how much I care for you, and you just decided not to believe me." Erik said sadly.

"Can I just have time to think about everything? This is just a lot of information to process right now." Aubrey asked quietly. She contemplated weather she should tell Erik about Harry and decided to tell him a bit. "Things have changed too. Not just with you, but with me too. Harry was there for me when you weren't, it's like you guys changed rolls." Aubrey said shaking her head from side to side.

Erik took his hands off Aubrey's. "Your cheating on me with _him_!" Erik shouted at her.

Aubrey looked up at Erik coldly. "I'm not cheating on you because were not dating."

Erik let out a big sigh. "Do you have your cell phone with you?" Erik said quietly.

Aubrey was confused by the question. "Um, yes, why?"

Erik didn't answer, he just walked off. Aubrey sat on the swing for a second before she realized he was leaving her at the park. "Wait!" Aubrey shouted at him as she got off the swing and started to run after Erik, but he was several steps a head of her, and with his long legs he would reach the car before she would.

When she reached the car he was already in it, and had started it up. "You can't just leave me here Erik!" Aubrey screamed at him through the car window. He rolled it down a bit. "You have your phone, call your boyfriend, besides you said you needed time to think, so think." He replied coldly as he rolled up the window and drove off.

Aubrey let out a shriek and kicked at a rock she saw on the ground, but that didn't help her rage. She got out her phone from her back pocked. She couldn't call her parents, she was supposed to be at school, and she didn't want to pull Jane out of classes again, so she was left with no choice but to call Harry.

Aubrey sat on the swing that Erik had left her at when Harry's Luv chugged and puffed into the parking lot of the park. She got up and walked dejectedly to the truck and got in with her head hanging.

"Did he leave you here?" He asked loudly.

Aubrey felt the tears sting her eyes but swore she wouldn't cry about Erik in front of Harry. "I don't want to talk about it, can you just take me back to school?"

"Okay, I can take you back to school, but I don't think you should go back, he might be there, we could go hang out at my house if you want."

"No, I've missed to much already, and I don't want your grandparents to get mad that you aren't at school either."

Harry sighed and put his truck in gear. He reached over and put his hand over hers softly and she shifted a bit. It wasn't that she didn't want Harry to hold her hand, but with the feelings she was feeling at the moment she wasn't in the mood to be connected to people, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. She did kiss him, then ride to school with him, then leave him to go with Erik. He must be as confused as she is at the moment, so she just sat there.

They didn't talk the whole way to school, to which she was very grateful. "Find me after school and I'll give you a ride home."

"Oh, well I'm going to Jane's house after school, girlfriend time you know." Aubrey said shrugging.

Harry's face fell a bit. "Okay, I'll call you later then." He leaned across the empty seat and kissed Aubrey on the cheek quickly. "Don't let this get you down okay." He asked softly.

I nodded and quickly got out of the truck and almost ran to the class I should be in.

**Okay I know it's been ages for this update and I am so very, very sorry. If I still have any faithful readers after that AWOL please know how sorry I am. I have other stories out there, but I'm going to focus on this story until it's finished, which isn't any time soon :P. Please leave me a review to yell at me, or say you forgive me, or just a good review that says 'it's about damn time you showed back up' haha. I really hope you liked the chapter, and if you have any comments of suggestions please let me know, I love to know what my readers are thinking!**

**Desiree'**


	22. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opear (though I wish I could)**

Chapter 21

Aubrey looked at the rose and smiled a bit. She reached for the rose and took it from Jane's hands and put the bud to her nose and could smell the beautiful perfume from the flower.

"Did you hear what he said?" Jane asked looking at Aubrey.

Aubrey nodded and jumped off the bed. "I'll be right back, I have to talk to him." She shouted behind her back as she went running out of the room. She opened the door and Erik was standing there.

"I knew you would be here." Erik said softly.

Aubrey was still indecisive but took another step closer to him and closed the front door. She loved Jane like a sister, but this conversation was going to be private.

"I'm still mad at you, you know." Aubrey said softly.

Erik sighed. "Yeah I know, but I love you Aubrey. I didn't kiss her. I promise I will never do anything to hurt you every again. I'm sorry about everything, and I wish I could make it up to you, but I'm not sure how."

Aubrey felt a tear slip out of her eye and felt Erik's fingers wipe it from her face. "You really did hurt me."

Erik pulled her into a hug. "I know and you have no idea how sorry I am. Do you forgive me?"

"I want to Erik, but things are going to be different now. I do still love you, but the trust is broken. I'm going to have to learn to trust you again."

"I know Aubrey, I'll be here." Erik said softly.

Aubrey pulled back out of the hug. "Thanks for the flower Erik." She said giving him a watery smile.

Erik grinned at her. "I knew that would win you over. So what about us? Are we still together, or together again?"

Aubrey gave Erik a soft kiss on the lips. "Still together."

"What are you going to do about Harry then?"

"Erik, I do like Harry, you know that, but I love you. I still want Harry in my life even if he is just a friend, are you going to be okay with that, because that's what I want, and if you throw a fit about it, things between us might be messed up."

Aubrey saw some emotion pass through Erik's eyes but before she could figure out what it was he nodded. "Just friends though right? I don't want to share you."

Aubrey let out a small chuckle. "Yes friends only."

"Do you want to get out of here? Take a drive with me maybe?"

Aubrey looked at the closed door of Jane's house and knew Jane wouldn't mind. "Yeah, I'm just going to let Jane know where I'm going, and I have to call my parents." Aubrey said as she turned the nob to the door and walked to Jane's room.

"So what did you say to him?" Jane almost shouted with a smile on her face when Aubrey walked in her room. She was on her bed on her knees almost bouncing from excitement.

"I said we could still be together, but we were going to have to work at it for a while and Harry and I are still going to be friends. Were going to just go and talk for a bit, I'll tell you about it later."

Jane got off the bed and practically danced to Aubrey and hugged her. "I'm glad you made up with Erik. I can tell he does care about you, just look in his eyes when he says he's sorry, you can see the love he has for you in his eyes. I've known Erik for a long time and I have never seen him get involved with someone, or see his eyes come alive like that. Those eyes are always so cold, and I could never understand how beautiful eyes like that could be cold and angry."

Aubrey hugged Jane closer to her. "Thanks Jane, I really appreciate it." Aubrey whispered before she pulled away from her hug.

Jane looked at the rose. "What's with the black ribbon? Doesn't that mean death or something." Aubrey laughed. "Inside joke I guess."

Jane just shook her head. "You two are both weird." Both girls burst out into giggles.

After calling her parents telling her mother that she would be with Erik she walked out to find Erik casually leaning against the wall waiting for her and when she saw him he reached out and grabbed her hand and she interlinked her fingers with his. He walked with her to his car and opened the door for her and Aubrey got in and buckled her seat belt.

"So where are we going?" Aubrey asked him.

"Well I thought we could go to my house for a bit, just sit and relax. I know you are still uneasy about everything, so I thought if we went back to my house we could start over, that's where we started after all."

Aubrey nodded and Erik drove to his house. When he pulled into the driveway Aubrey turned to Erik. "You have a temper you know."

Erik hung his head in shame. "I know. I guess I'm to much like _him_." Erik spat out.

Aubrey put her hand over his which was on the gear shift. "I think you've just been a loner for too long, you don't really know how to cope with different situations. It's like seeing kids in preschool, no one knows how to act, so they defend themselves."

"Am I really that bad?" Erik choked out.

"Your mood swings are all over the place. Just today you yelled at me, yelled at someone else, pulled me from the car, pushed me into a swing, left me alone in a park, then show up and give me a flower."

"I just don't know what to do, I've been having these weird dreams, as you have, but Phantom Erik, as you call him, keeps telling me that I need to keep you in check."

Anger boiled in Aubrey's blood. Her recent dream was still in her mind. "Erik, I'm not a dog, I'm a human being. Do you want to control me?" She asked in anger.

"No of course not!" Erik said in shock.

"Then forget your dreams. I'm getting afraid to go to sleep for fear that he will hurt me. I know it's silly since it's just in my dreams, but I can't help but feeling afraid. I can't stand up to that man, when I do he manhandles me!" Aubrey shouted.

Erik took his seat belt off and got out of the car opening the door for Aubrey. He gently helped her out of the can and pulled her into a hug. "I'm here for you, and I'm the only Erik you need to worry about okay. Don't be afraid to go to sleep, if _Phantom Erik_ does anything to you again, just close your eyes and remind yourself that your asleep, and just wake yourself up."

"Okay, thanks Erik." Aubrey said softly as she pulled out of their hug. Erik brought her downstairs to the family room and sat next to her on the sofa. He put his arm around her shoulders and Aubrey slid down a bit and laid her head on his chest. Erik started to hum a song that Aubrey didn't recognize and let her eye lids slide shut.

She didn't know how long she had been asleep but she had waken up when she felt cold and realized that Erik was no longer next to her, but she was laying on the couch with a blanket over her. She sat up and looked around the darkening room and still couldn't find Erik. Aubrey pushed off the blanket and got off the couch. Once outside the family room she walked up the stairs and could hear low conversation coming from the room down the hall.

Aubrey had always wondered why Erik had never introduced her to his parents, and why he never really talked about them, and she thought she was going to finally meet his parents. She slowly walked to the end of the hall trying to be quiet. She stood outside the door and pushed it open slowly.

What she saw shocked her. Erik was helping the women she thought was his mother into her bed. Her face was bruised and swollen with gashes in her cheeks and blood dried to her lips. The tips of her fingers were bruised and bloody looking, and her clothes were ripped and torn.

Erik turned towards the door when he heard it opening and he looked at Aubrey. Their eye's met for a second and he dropped his eyes. He finished getting his mother into bed. Aubrey slowly walked into the room and stood near the door, not knowing what to do. His mother didn't notice that there was someone else in the room, she seemed like she could barely move.

Erik turned to someone Aubrey couldn't see standing in what she assumed was a bathroom and pointed at his mother. Erik walked forward and ushered Aubrey out of the room. He brought her back down the hall and sat her down on a couch in the front room. "Was that your mother?" Aubrey asked quietly.

Erik sighed. "Yes, that's my mother Linda."

"What happened to her Erik? She should really be in the hospital." Aubrey said frantically.

"No, we have personal doctors here." He said sternly.

"Well what in the hell happened to her?" Aubrey asked astounded.

Erik put his head in his hands. "My parents are not in a good relationship. That is thanks to dear old dad. I've encouraged my mother to leave him since I found out about the beatings, but she refuses to. She says he doesn't mean too, and she still loves him. I guess he has 'suppressed rage' as my mother says, what it's for I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that she makes a sacrifice for me. I can tell when I look at my father that he hates me, he's ashamed that he sired someone like me. He has never hit me, but he's never around. He's away on work and when he does come home he beats the shit out of mom, and I stay here and take care of her while he's off doing work."

Aubrey had felt the blood drain from her face. She touched his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Erik, I didn't know."

"No one knows, except for out own family and workers."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked helplessly.

Erik just shook his head.

"How often does your dad do that to your mom? She never tries to file charges or anything?"

"Dad comes home from time to time to check up on her, make sure she's doing what she is supposed to do, then leaves. I rarely see him. Mom will never file charges against him."

Aubrey felt a shiver run through her body and Erik took his head off his hands and pull her in a hug. "Your the first person I've ever told this too. You wanted to know why I was a loner before I met you, this is part of the reason. The other part is obviously my face, but I was ashamed to make friends and say 'no you can't come to my house because my dad beats my mom' kids don't really understand that."

Even though she was in Erik's arms she didn't really feel safe her anymore. Would she ever feel safe around Erik's father now? She didn't think so.

"Is your dad here now?" Aubrey whispered in horror.

"No, he left a couple hours ago."

Aubrey felt dread run through her system knowing she was close to Erik's father. If he didn't have any trouble beating his wife then he wouldn't have any problems beating his son's girlfriend.

"Do you want to go?" Erik asked her.

Aubrey nodded her head getting the creeps again. Erik stood up and helped Aubrey to her feet. "I'm sorry you had to see this. I didn't really want to tell you about it, as you can imagine, I feel bad for mom, but she won't let me help her."

Erik walked with her to the car and drove her home. "Do you want to come in for a bit?" Aubrey asked because he wasn't getting out of his seat belt.

"No I should really go home and check on mom."

Aubrey got out of the car and tapped on his window and he rolled it down. She didn't want Erik to go home, what if his father was still there? He might get over the fact that he didn't get enough satisfaction of beating his wife and start beating Erik. She couldn't imagine loosing Erik right after she got him back.

"Please don't leave Erik. I don't want you to go back home. I want you to stay with me." Aubrey whined.

Erik looked at his watch. "Well I guess I could stick around for a bit." He said shutting off his engine and getting out of the car.

Erik and Aubrey walked hand in hand up to her house and when Aubrey opened the door Lacey greeted them and asked if Erik wanted to stay for dinner.

"Mom, we've already eaten, sorry." Aubrey said as she started making her way to her bedroom. "Were going to be studying in my room okay."

Lacey frowned a bit. "Okay, but I'll come and check on you in a bit."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Okay mom, whatever you say." And she dragged Erik up the stairs and into her room. Aubrey sat down on her bed the flopped on her back and let out a sigh.

"Nice room." Erik said and Aubrey sat up and looked around and felt a blush coming to her face. She forgot that Erik had never been in her room and the huge poster of Gerard Butler as the Phantom of the Opera hung on one wall and her many art projects of Phantom of the Opera hung around the rest of her room. Art projects like a piece of glass that she had painted black on one end and then painted the full white porcelain mask with the words Phantom of the Opera in shattered pieces, like what was on the movie poster.

Then she looked at the huge golden full length mirror that Aubrey had begged her mother to get her and had it decorated with fake rose buds around the edges.

"Oh, well thanks."

Erik chuckled as he walked towards her bed and sat down next to her. "I can see that you were really obsessed. When I told you about my family history I kind of realize why you were so hurt. I didn't really think that you were obsessed, I thought you just liked the movie and the book. I never knew it was like this."

Aubrey's blush deepened. "Yeah, well know you know."

The phone rang, and it was her personal line, so Aubrey reached across Erik and answered the phone from her bedside table.

"Hello?"

"Hey Aubrey, how did your girlfriend time go with Jane?" Harry asked.

"Oh, hi, it went fine, but I can't really talk now, I'll see you tomorrow at school okay?" Aubrey asked.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Aubrey hung up the phone and turned to Erik.

"Let me guess, Harry?" Erik asked with his eyebrow raised.

Aubrey shrugged. "Yeah."

His jaw tightened. "Well you could have talked to him, you didn't have to blow him off on my account."

"I didn't, I just want to spend time with you." She replied as she snuggled in closer to Erik. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her down on the bed once more. "I wish you didn't have to leave tonight. You could stay here with me. My parents would never know."

Erik chuckled a bit. "What about my car, won't they notice it when they wake up in the morning?"

"Oh, phooey, your just being a spoil sport."

"I just don't want you grounded again."

Aubrey sighed out. "Well I guess your right. But do you really have to go home, I'll be worried about you now."

"I've been there my whole life, I think I'll be okay."

**So I promised that I would update again soon! Thank you to all my wonderful readers who did come back and read my last chapter, I have written you all back. Thank you WanderingMimi for adding my story to your favorites *cheers* I will have another chapter up soon, I can usually write a chapter while I'm at work on my half days, so if you have any questions or suggestions please click that little review button!**

**Desiree'**


	23. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera.**

Chapter 22

Aubrey clung to Erik tighter. "Please don't leave yet." She begged. They were standing out by Erik's car, it was past 9 at night and Aubrey's parents told Erik it was way past time to be home.

"I have to, your mom will have a shit fit if I stay any longer."

Aubrey groaned. "I don't care."

"Well I do, I'll see you tomorrow, it's Friday, then we'll go out on Saturday." Erik said sternly.

"Gah Erik, your such a stickler, but I love you." Aubrey said giving him a smile. She stood up on tip-toes and kissed Erik.

"Don't worry about your dreams Aubrey, if you need me in the middle of the night, call me okay."

Aubrey nodded. "Okay."

"I love you." Erik said softly.

"I love you too." Aubrey replied with a smile.

She watched as Erik got in his car and drove away, and she stood on her porch just thinking. She did love Erik, that much was clear, but things with Harry were complicated now. He would settle for being her friend though right? Well she hoped so. Would it be to late to call him?

Aubrey walked into her house kissed her parents and went to her room grabbing her phone before she fell on the bed.

The phone rang twice before Harry answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Harry, I hope I'm not calling to late." Aubrey said biting her lip.

"Oh, no, not at all, I didn't think you were going to call me back tonight."

"Well I just wanted to let you know what was going on, I knew you would rather know, then be kept in the dark."

"Know what?" Harry asked sadly.

"I don't think it's much of a surprise. You know I love Erik, and I believe him, he didn't kiss Ashley, she kissed him trying to break us up."

"And what about him leaving you in the middle of no where!" Harry asked angrily.

Aubrey sighed. "I know, we have some issues to work out, but I love him."

Harry snorted.

"Please Harry, can we still be friends? I don't want to loose all my friends because I'm dating Erik, and loose you too, I only have you, Jane and Erik left, I don't want you to leave me too."

"Aw Aubrey, don't get upset." Harry said softly.

Aubrey was close to tears. "I can't help it."

"Don't worry, I won't leave. If I can't have you in any other way then friend, then we will be friends, just don't cry okay?"

Aubrey sniffed. "Okay, and Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. I'll see you at school tomorrow okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Aubrey hung up the phone feeling better about the whole situation. She rolled over and put her phone back on the charger and changed into her pj's and fell asleep.

She woke to be once again in Phantom Erik's music room and she sighed to herself. She was getting really tired of being in this damn room, and she was surprised to think that thought. Aubrey closed her eyes and told herself to wake up, like her Erik had told her to do, but when she opened her eyes, she was still in Phantom Erik's layer and she moaned.

"I can see your not happy to be back here." Phantom Erik's voice rang out. Aubrey looked around to find him, but couldn't spot him, which didn't surprise her. He was a master of hiding in the shadows and throwing his voice.

Aubrey crossed her arms in front of her chest and snorted. "I guess it's not that hard to see." Aubrey remarked sarcastically.

"Don't act like a child Aubrey, you are not one. Look at you, preparing to throw a temper tantrum like a toddler."

Aubrey uncrossed her arms and walked angrily into the middle of his room. "I'm not going to throw a temper tantrum!" Aubrey shouted at Phantom Erik.

"Turn around and look in the mirror, toddler."

Aubrey took a huge deep breath. "If your going to talk to me, then come out where I can see you."

Aubrey jumped slightly when a hand fell on her shoulder. "God, I hate when you do that!" She screamed at Phantom Erik.

"I'm glad you two made up." Phantom Erik said softly.

"I don't give a shit what you think Erik." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"Well, well, feeling a bit feisty today are we? You shouldn't talk to me like that, I can only keep my temper for so long."

"Go ahead, make my day."

Phantom Erik's jaw snapped together, Aubrey could hear the sound of his teeth clicking together, and she suddenly wished his tongue was bit.

"You are testing my patients girl."

"Yeah you are testing mine." Aubrey spat back. His hand came out of no where and slapped her across the cheek. Aubrey was stunned. She tenderly placed her hand to her cheek that burned like the dickens and backed away from Erik until she hit something, it felt like a bookshelf.

"Go away, don't ever visit me again." She somehow got out. She could hear the fear in her own voice.

"I will do what I please, and you will behave now."

Aubrey nodded her head. "Now you will shut up and listen to me. You will go no where near your, _friend_, do you understand me?"

Aubrey just looked at Phantom Erik, not moving a muscle, her hand still plastered to her cheek where he slapped her. She was getting tired of being slapped around. Aubrey closed her eyes tight and when she opened them she was awake. She rolled over and saw that it was 5 in the morning and she felt tired. How was it possible to have a full nights sleep and be tired when she woke, when she was wrestling with demons in her sleep.

Aubrey sat up and placed her hand to her cheek, it didn't hurt and she jumped up and turned the light on and rushed to her full length mirror. She suddenly got a chill thinking she saw a shadow cross across the mirror. She looked at her face closely, but didn't see any red marks. She let out a sigh of relief.

It was miserable going through her morning routine to get ready for school. She wanted to see Erik desperately. Weather she would tell him about the dream or not, she was still thinking it over. What good would it do to tell him? But then again what harm would it cause?

There was a knock at Aubrey's door and she opened it to see Delilah. "What do you want Lila?" Aubrey asked.

"I just wanted to hang out before school, I never see you anymore."

Aubrey smiled at her younger sister. "I'm sorry, things have just been busy, you know?" Aubrey said throwing her arm over her sisters shoulders.

"Your too busy with Erik." Delilah said drawing Erik out.

Aubrey laughed. "Well were boyfriend and girlfriend, we have to spend time together."

"I know, but he kind of freaks me out."

"Gah Delilah, don't talk about him like that!" Aubrey said taking her arm off Delilah's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but why does he have that mask. I mean you can't see it from far away, but that was the first time I have ever seen him, you know, up close."

"He was born like that Delilah, and he's sensitive about it, so next time he comes over, don't do anything stupid."

"Geez Rutie, I won't, I just wanted to know what was up."

"Well know you know."

Aubrey was in the kitchen eating her breakfast when she heard Erik's horn beep and she jumped up and out of the door, saying goodbye over her shoulder. Erik was waiting for her on her side of the car and Aubrey ran into his arms.

"Whoo, what's the special treatment for?" Erik asked with a chuckle.

"I just missed you, that's all." Aubrey said snuggling into Erik's chest. Erik wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "There's something else though, right?"

Aubrey nodded her head. "I don't want to talk about it though."

"I figured it was that, I'm really sorry babe."

"I'm just ready to forget about it, can we go to school?"

Erik and Aubrey got to school and was sitting at a table, and it was very uncomfortable. At the table was Aubrey, Erik, Jane, Harry, Dannielle, Ashley, Alice, Natalie, Chad, Alex, and Aaron. Jane, Aubrey, Erik and Harry were sitting at one end of the table, and Dannielle, Ashley, Alice, Natalie, Chad, Alex and Aaron were on the other side. Aubrey was counting down the seconds until the bell would ring and they could all leave and Harry stood up.

"Okay this is ridicules, I can't take it anymore." Harry said pointing to the other side of the table. "You are acting like kids, and I don't think we are going to sit her anymore if you are going to act like this."

"What did I miss?" Jane asked confused.

"They are being rude, trying to hide it in whispers, and I could hear every word. Let's go."

Aubrey's eyebrows went up and shrugged and got up. Her, Jane, Erik and Harry all left the table and sat somewhere else. "Wow I feel a lot better." Harry said and Jane laughed. The bell rang shortly after they left and Erik walked Aubrey to her locker to get her books.

"You don't mind sitting with Harry and Jane do you?" Aubrey asked getting out her books.

"No, if your fine with it, then so am I."

Aubrey flashed Erik a smile and pecked him on the lips. "Thanks Erik. Harry and I are just friends, I really hope that you two can actually be friends, I would really like that."

"Well who knows, stranger things have happened."

Aubrey laughed and slapped him on the arm lightly.

"Ready to get to class?" Erik asked reaching down and grabbing Aubrey's hand.

"I think so. I'm just glad it's Friday, I'm tired of people."

Erik laughed. "That makes two of us."

**So this isn't as long as the last chapter, but I have had a killer headache for the last couple days. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. Raven: I'm not burned out at all, to which I'm thankful for, I just love writing this story, and I'm glad you liked the last two chapters. Thanks to Scarlett Shadowbourne for adding my story to your updates and favorite story list, that means a lot! I'll have another chapter up soon, so please review!!!**

**Desiree'**


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to The Phantom of the Opera.**

Chapter 23

Aubrey and Erik had gone out to the movies and dinner after school had ended and Aubrey sat on the edge of her bed brushing out her wavy hair. Things between Harry and Erik were finally starting to become normal again, and that pleased Aubrey. She wanted nothing more than to have Erik's love, and Harry's friendship and that looked like it was planning on happening.

Aubrey pulled her pj's on and crawled under her covers snuggling down deep, and she quickly fell asleep.

Aubrey opened her eyes and heard beautiful music surrounding her. It seemed to actually enter her body, but she was confused, this was Erik's chamber, she was sure of that from just looking around, it was the place where she had been visiting in her dreams for months now.

What confused her was the music, it was so pretty. Phantom Erik had been a bit on the nasty side, well not a bit, he was flat out being terrifying. To a point where Aubrey was afraid to actually go to sleep.

Slowly Aubrey took one step towards where she knew his piano was. When she was in sight of his organ Phantom Erik stopped and turned around. Aubrey didn't know if she wanted to reprimand him or ask him to continue playing but he spoke first.

"Aubrey, please come over here." Phantom Erik said quietly.

"I'm not sure I want to Erik, you have treated me like crap recently and I don't trust you anymore."

Phantom Erik hung his head. "Yes I have treated your rather horribly lately, and for that I apologize, there was no need for that type of behavior." Phantom Erik replied standing up. He stretched out his hand towards Aubrey.

Trembling slightly Aubrey stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "There is no need to fear me, I will not harm you."

Aubrey looked up at Erik with doe eyes, silently praying that what he said was true. "You have made me not want to sleep." Aubrey whispered.

"For that I am truly sorry."

"So what is the purpose of these dreams still? I'm with Erik, and I love him. I don't want anyone else, isn't it time for you to help someone else?"

Phantom Erik paused and looked down at Aubrey. "You do not know everything." He said simply.

"So what am I supposed to know. You can just tell me, I'm tired of trying to figure everything out on my own." Aubrey said shaking her head slowly. "Do I even know what it's about?"

"Yes and no. You've thought of it in the past, maybe more of just wished, and it is true."

"What is it!" Aubrey said loudly. "You owe me this, after everything you have done to me."

"Don't you take that tone with me!" Phantom Erik shouted.

Aubrey pulled her hand out of his and backed up. Phantom Erik sighed. "I do apologize again. I can not control my temper from time to time."

Aubrey just nodded her head. "Accepted." She said simply.

"Yes, you do deserve to know. You are the one who can finally break this so called curse."

Aubrey was stunned slightly. "What. How?"

"You have always connected to my story correct?"

"Well yeah, but that's obvious."

"Think about why though. I know there are plenty of fans, but haven't you thought it as more of an obsession that just a fan."

Aubrey knew what he said was true. How often had her friends told her she was obsessed over a movie, of the book, or the play. More than once.

"Well so what. There are plenty of people who are obsessed."

Phantom Erik sighed in frustration. "You were meant to become obsessed."

"Pfth." Aubrey blurted out and rolled her eyes. "Was it destined?" She said with sarcasm.

"Yes! You are the decedent of Christine."

Aubrey's mouth dropped. "There's no way that's possible."

"Yes you silly girl there is a possibility. Your great, great, great, great, grandmother was Christine, and your great, great, great, great, grandfather was...Raoul." Phantom Erik spat out his name.

Aubrey shook her head. "No, I just don't believe it."

Phantom Erik laughed. "You don't believe me? Well here." Erik said opening a door. Aubrey had just now realized that they had been walking the entire time they were talking, and he brought her to a room that was filled with different drawings, sculptures, and so many other things of Christine. "Just look at her features and you will see the similarity."

Aubrey walked into the room astounded by everything that was Christine. Aubrey walked up to a huge drawing of Christine that was against the wall. She looked at her eyes first. Christine's were brown, and Aubrey's were green, but she had the same shaped eyes, with the same eyelashes and eyebrows.

Next Aubrey noticed how Christine's ears were like Aubrey's. Aubrey had one ear that was lobed, and one that was connected, and as Aubrey looked closer Christine had the same ears.

Even her hands were the same shape. Small palms, but long fingers, but they didn't look skeletal, like some people did who had long fingers, her fingernails were shaped the same as well.

"So do you believe me now?" Phantom Erik spat at her from the doorway.

"I just can't believe it." Aubrey said astounded.

Aubrey turned around to face Phantom Erik, but he was no longer there. She walked to the hallway and saw Erik's retreating backside walking towards where they had just come from. Aubrey took off after him and caught up with him when they entered his music room.

"You just left me there!" She shouted at him.

"I do not enter that particular room."

Aubrey could understand that. He was obviously very much in love with Christine if he could put that much detail in everything he had done.

"Why do I need to know about Christine?" Aubrey asked.

"Because you need to know that you can break the curse." Phantom Erik stated.

"But why is it so important for me to know that?"

"You love your Erik, and I know you eventually want kids, but Erik does not. He doesn't want to worry about his grandchildren going through the same things he has gone through, and there is something else you don't know about the curse."

"More good news?" Aubrey asked hopefully.

"You know about Erik's father, every marriage through all these years have not been good. There have been murders, abuse, people turning to liquor, prostitution, everything you can think of that's bad in a marriage, it has been done, but you, you can change all this. He is very devoted to you, he loves you, and he is my blood, and you are hers. You can be together and live a happy life." Erik said and quickly turned to face Aubrey. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Don't ruin this, he can finally be happy, and you can make this happen for him. He deserves to be happy."

Aubrey's eyes got big when he grabbed her, but he wasn't hurting her, just trying to show her how much he was committed to this. "Erik does deserve to be happy, and I want to be the one to make him happy."

"Then I think I can finally go." He said releasing her.

"You mean no more dreams?"

"I don't think so."

Aubrey didn't know weather to feel relieved or sad and she knew she would be sad, even though Phantom Erik had put Aubrey through a kind of small hell. Aubrey took a step closer to him and put her arms around his waist. He was so much taller than her, there would be no way she could put her arms around his neck. She felt like a child hugging an adult and Aubrey felt Phantom Erik's arms slowly come up around her shoulders.

"I really do thank you for coming to me. If it wasn't for you, I'm not sure Erik and I would even be together, and I wouldn't want that. I do love him, and I couldn't imagine my life without him now."

Aubrey could no longer feel Erik and took a step back, well tried to and she realized she was laying down in her own bed. She had finally waken.

She sat up and looked at the clock. It said 7:00 exactly. Aubrey let out a sigh and fell back on her pillows. It was way to early to be up for a Saturday morning. She closed her eyes and willed herself to go back to sleep, and she did, and it was dreamless.

Aubrey heard a knock at her door and she opened her eyes to find that it was 10:45.

"What?" Aubrey said in a cracked and wheezy voice.

"Rutie, Erik is here to see you." Aubrey's mother said.

Aubrey's eyes flew open and she sat up very quickly. "You mean he's here?" She asked in a clear voice.

The door opened. "Yes, he's downstairs. Your not even up yet!"

"Go tell him I'll be right there." Aubrey said jumping out of bed and throwing clothes out of her closet. She quickly got dressed, brushed her hair and teeth and almost flew down the stairs. She threw herself into Erik's arms when she got to him.

"I'm so glad your here!" She said with a huge smile on her face.

"I hope I'm not too early." Erik said grinning.

"Nope, I'm just glad your here."

**I had a lot of people ask about Phantom Erik, so I thought I would give you more of him. I want to thank Evilquail for adding my story favorites and their alerts, Christean1830 for adding my story to their alerts, jcboils for adding me to the author alerts, and anyone else who reviewed my story, I love hearing from all of you, reviews really make my day. I also wanted to say Happy Halloween, even though it is a bit early, just be safe and have fun out there! So please review my story, even nif it's just to say good job, but if you want to give me some ideas your coming up with, or anything that would be awesome. Oh and I just wanted to give a heads up that this story will be coming to an ending soon, though I'm not sure if it's going to be the next chapter or in five, but it's coming to a close. Thanks for reading.**

**Desiree'**


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own anything related to the Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 24

Erik had invited Aubrey to go out, so Aubrey was sitting in the shotgun seat in Erik's car and they were just driving around.

"I had an interesting dream last night." Aubrey said quietly.

"Did he do something to you again?" Erik asked in outrage.

Aubrey whipped her head around to look at Erik. "No, he just told me something that shocked me."

The muscles seemed to unclench in his jaw as Aubrey looked at him.

"What did he tell you?" Erik asked a little more calmly.

"Well he said I could break your curse."

"What? Why, are you magic?" Erik asked with a chuckle.

Aubrey giggled. "No, I'm not magic, but apparently I am a decedent of someone special."

"Who, the queen of England?" Erik asked shaking his head slowly.

"No." Aubrey said with a huge smile and slapped Erik's arm lightly. "I'm a decedent of Christine's."

Erik's jaw dropped open and he turned to look at Aubrey, and Aubrey let out a squeal and reached for the wheel since they were drifting into the other lane. Erik jerked his head back to face the road and jerked the steering wheel over so they were on the right side of the road.

"Maybe you should pull over so we can talk about this." Aubrey said with her hand on her heart. It was fluttering madly.

"Yeah, maybe your right." Erik said distractedly.

Erik took the next turn and stopped in a parking lot of the local grocery store.

"So your a decedent of Christine. Do you believe him? I mean he was just a dream."

"Hey, you've been having the same dreams, are you telling me that he didn't tell you that?" Aubrey asked.

"Well I did have a dream about him last night, but he just told me some sob story about how he didn't get his true love, and he married for convenience, and that I should always treasure you."

Aubrey smiled. "Well you should always treasure me, I'm special."

Erik rolled his eyes. "Yes your very special, that's why I love you."

The next day Aubrey had invited Jane over, she felt bad for not hanging out with her best friend. So they spend the day sitting on Aubrey's bed gossiping, and eating junk food, and listening to music, just a girl day.

"Aubrey, I have to tell yo something, and you may not like it."

The smile on Aubrey's face slipped off. "What is it?"

"Well, I've kind of been having feelings for someone. Someone close to you."

Aubrey felt her heart sink. Would Jane want to try to steal Erik from her?

"Who is it?"

Jane blushed. "It's Harry. I really like him. I kind of always liked him, but I was too chicken to say anything, then you two started dating, and so I told myself I couldn't like him anymore, but those feelings just wouldn't go away, then he left, and I thought, well maybe it's for the better, he loves you."

"Harry never loved me." Aubrey said as her heart rate went back to normal.

"Now that he's back those feelings have come up stronger. Do you hate me?" Jane asked with her head hung in shame.

Aubrey scooted closer to Jane and put her arms around her. "Of course not! Your my best friend, I could never hate you. I think you need to tell Harry that you like him."

"No I can't, I'm too big of a chicken." Jane said with horror in her eyes.

"What if he likes you too though?"

"I know he doesn't though, he's too hung up on you."

Aubrey shook her head. "No Jane, were just friends, and Harry accepts that. He knows I love Erik."

"Really?" Jane asked.

"Really. You need to tell him tomorrow at school."

"Yeah, maybe I will." Jane said with a smile on her face.

When Aubrey woke up on Monday she had butterflies in her stomach. She was so nervous for Jane. She was afraid that Harry would turn her down, and Jane would be worse off then she was now.

"What's eating you?" Erik asked a block from school.

"I'm just nervous that's all."

"What do you have to be nervous about?" He asked with confusion on his face.

"Jane is going to ask Harry out."

"What! Really? I didn't know she liked him."

"Well she's very nervous, and I'm nervous for her."

"Why are you nervous for her?"

"Because I'm her best friend, and that's what best friends do, they worry." Aubrey said with a small laugh.

Erik and Aubrey walked hand in hand into the cafeteria to wait for the bell to ring, but they stopped at the door. Harry and Jane were sitting at the table together and they were talking. "Maybe we should just go wait by my locker." Aubrey said with a smile.

"But don't you want to know what he says?" Erik asked as he was being dragged from the cafeteria.

"Well of course, but she will tell me during class."

Erik and Aubrey were the first in the class, and it felt like years until Jane walked through the door. She had a smile on her face, and Aubrey's heart jumped up into her throat with excitement.

"What did he say when you told him?" Aubrey asked before she even sat down.

"He said yes!" Jane squealed back.

Aubrey hugged Jane. "Oh I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks." She said with a huge grin on her face. "I can't stop smiling."

Aubrey laughed.

"Girls are too weird." Erik muttered and Aubrey swatted him lightly.

The rest of the day went by with talks of what Jane should wear to their first date, and where they should go, and weather Harry would take her out to dinner, and if he did, where should they go to eat. By the time Erik and Aubrey were in Erik's car, he had heard way to much girl talk.

"Wow you two can talk a lot." Erik said pretending to clean out his ears.

"Oh, hush, she's excited, and I'm excited for her."

"I know you are."

"So why are you so happy today?" Aubrey asked Erik. He had, had a huge smile plastered to his face all day long.

"Well, this makes me happy as well."

Aubrey looked at Erik with one eyebrow raised. "And why would this make you happy?"

Erik didn't say anything for a long time. "Go on, tell me."

"It's just now, I'm not worried that Harry is going to try to trick you away from me."

Aubrey laughed. "You really thought he would do that?"

"Yes! Why wouldn't I think that, he's already tried."

Aubrey rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I love you, so that's all you need to fret about. I talked to Harry at 5th period and he seemed genuinely happy that him and Jane are going out."

"Good."

Aubrey just shook her head and rolled her eyes again.

"I can't believe we only have 1 month left of school." Aubrey said with a smile. "We will get to spend every single day out of school, and us being together."

"We already spend every day together." Erik said with a smile.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes I know. Did I hear correctly when Jane said she was going to have a party on the last day of school?"

"Wow, you were actually listening, I'm surprised."

"So are we going?"

"Of course! There's going to be a lot of people there, and Jane's parents already said yes."

They pulled into the driveway of Aubrey's house and they walked in. Aubrey started to head towards the stairs up to her room and Erik followed.

She threw her stuff down on the floor and plugged her Ipod into her Ihome. Aubrey turned and saw Erik still standing in the doorway.

"You can come in you know."

"Your room is really weird."

Aubrey looked around and couldn't find anything that was weird about it. "What are you talking about?"

"Well look around, there's Phantom of the Opera stuff all over the place."

Aubrey grinned. "Does it bother you? We could just go downstairs, but then we wouldn't be alone."

Erik grinned at her. "Well it doesn't bother me that bad."

Aubrey giggled and stepped closer to Erik and placed her arms around his neck. "Good." Then she kissed him deeply.

**It hasn't ended yet, so you at least get one more chapter, or more, it just depends when I feel is the right time to end it. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to end it, but I have a few ideas, if you have an idea, please let me know! Christine Destler: Okay for 1, your name is AWESOME!!! I'm so jealous, and 2 I'm so happy that you love my story, that really means the world to me. Oh and it wasn't my sister that passed away, both of them are still alive and healty, I think, we are not on speaking terms at the moment, but it was my oldest daughter, and I really appreciate your thoughts and prayers. I hope you keep reviewing. Thank you to anyone who reviewed this chapter, I have written you back, and thank you Cinnamon for the awesome idea!!! Please hit the review button and review this chapter and let me know what you think of it! I hope everyone had a good and safe Halloween!**

**Desiree'**


	26. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera**

Chapter 25

**Three years later**

Aubrey sat on a soft bench looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair was very long now, halfway down her back, and Jane was slowly taking a curling iron to her hair and pinning it up in places. Aubrey rung her hands and bit her lip.

"Now stop that, your going to make your lips puffy and swollen." Lacey said, who was sitting on the bed watching Jane.

"I'm just so nervous. Were you this nervous mom?"

Lacey smiled and got up off the bed. She took Aubrey's hands in her own and patted them gently. "It's perfectly normal, but have no fear, everything is going to turn out wonderful, just take a deep breath."

Aubrey did take a deep breath, but still felt the butterflies flutter just as quickly in her stomach and gave her mother a tight-lipped smile.

"Are you almost done Jane?" Aubrey asked.

"Yes yes, quit fretting. I knew you would be picking your lips, that's a good thing we left those to last, but thankfully everything else is done."

"Then no lipstick."

"Oh Aubrey! Come on, this has to be perfect, let me at least put some clear on your lips."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Fine go on." Aubrey said and pouted her lips. She felt the coldness of the gloss roll onto her lips.

"Okay now the dress." Lacey said holding up the huge white sleek dress.

Aubrey brightened at this. She had spent hours upon hours, and many different shops looking for the perfect dress. Isn't the saying it's all downhill after you get the dress? Well it wasn't. Why didn't she know all the stuff you had to do to plan for everything?

The dress was beautiful and it was perfect. The top part was a V neck and a tank-top. The bodice was beaded, and it was beautiful. From the bodice it was slick silk and it formed her body until it hit her hips, then it flowed out slightly. Over the top of the silk was a white sheer material. It didn't have a train on it, she was terribly afraid she would trip over it and fall flat on her face.

Her veil was just as pretty, if not simple. She refused to have it cover her face, so it took a long time to find a good one. It was just plain, except around the edges, where it was very intricate with lace. She gently stepped into her dress and they had to slowly zip it up, they didn't want the zipper to catch on the material.

"Okay now I'm ready." Aubrey said with a smile.

They walked to the doorway and both Jane, and Lacey went to get the rest of the girls and get the music started.

Aubrey leaned against the doorjamb and closed her eyes. She could still recall the exact way Erik had proposed.

Both Aubrey and Erik had decided to go to a two year college first, and decide exactly what they both really wanted to do in life. The school was an hour away from Faith, so they lived in the dorms. Aubrey was with Jane, and Erik surprisingly bunked with Harry.

After Jane and Harry had started dated, they fell madly in love with each other. Things just clicked with them, and Erik slowly started to befriend Harry. When it was time to graduate all four of them were best friends, and they decided to go to the same two year college. For Harry and Jane, that would be it, but for Erik and Aubrey, they had bigger plans.

Erik was planning on becoming a doctor, and Aubrey a therapist. With all four of them having their associates degree, they all decide to go home for the summer. Jane and Harry had plans of traveling to different places in the United States and seeing the sites, like the New York skyline, and Wall Drug, and Mt. Rushmore for a couple months. They already had jobs lined up, but they didn't start for a couple months.

Aubrey was glad to be back in her old room, the Phantom of the Opera stuff had been taken down her Senior year, it made Erik slightly uncomfortable, and stuffed in her closet. Erik slept over most nights, but he insisted on going home one Thursday night, so Aubrey slept a very sleepless night tossing and turning in her bed.

She woke to the feeling of something tickling her nose and Aubrey went to swat it off her nose, only to feel something silky soft, and smelling wonderful. She opened her eyes to see Erik grinning from ear to ear holding a red rose.

"Morning. Do you want to see why I didn't stay over last night?"

Aubrey grinned and nodded her head. "I really need to get ready for the day though."

"Okay, take your time, I'll be downstairs amusing Delilah."

Aubrey rolled her eyes and kissed Erik on the lips. She rushed into the bathroom and 'beautified' herself and went downstairs to see Erik and Delilah playing Mario Kart on the Wii.

"Yes! In your face Erik!" Delilah shouted at Erik, who grumbled "I'll get you next time."

"Well let's go again then big man." Delilah taunted.

"Sorry Lila, but Erik wanted show me something."

"Aw, it can wait can't it! I'm beating the pants off your boyfriend."

"Nope sorry, I'm curious."

"Erik, please." Delilah begged.

"Sorry I have to listen to the boss lady."

"Aw, okay, but next time right." Delilah asked.

"Right."

Erik stood up and grabbed Aubrey's hands and led her out to the car. He had started to drive to their park, as Aubrey now called it, but when she got there it was different, it had been a whole year since she visited the park last, her and Erik always came up here before they went back to school. The trees were much bigger, and had beautiful flowers and leaves out. There was a blanket placed below one of the trees.

"Did you do that?" Aubrey asked with a grin.

"Yes of course." He replied with a smile on his face.

When Erik parked the car they could hear children playing on the playground part of the park, but they paid little attention to them, they just walked hand in hand to the blanket, and Aubrey saw a little basket on top of the blanket.

"A picnic for breakfast?" Aubrey asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah." He said sitting down on the blanket.

She opened it to see a box of cereal and milk and Aubrey laughed.

"Well what did you expect, there's no stove out here."

Aubrey pulled out the bowls and spoons and they sat and ate their cereal. When both Aubrey and Erik were finished she took his bowl from his hands and placed it on top of hers, putting the spoons in the top bowl and placing them back in the basket.

"So this was why coul..." Aubrey said turning around.

Erik was bended on one knee and was holding a soft black velvet box.

"Aubrey Ruth Inmon, you truly are my true love, and we have been brought together by forces that were not only ours. We had some rough times, but after we got the kicks settled out, we were perfect. I can't imagine my life without you, and I want you by my side forever and always. Will you marry me?"

Aubrey's hand fluttered to her chest and she couldn't believe her heart was fluttering as it was. Erik opened the box and there was a diamond ring, a diamond shape, with a silver band.

"Oh of course I'll marry you!" Aubrey said with a smile and kissed Erik on the lips.

"Are you ready Aubrey?" Jane asked touching her shoulder.

Aubrey opened her eyes and smiled at Jane. "Yes I'm ready."

They walked to the big church doors and the ushers opened the doors. Jane walked down the long hallway and soon it was Aubrey's turn. She turned to look at her father and he gave her a big smile.

"You look beautiful Rutie."

Aubrey smiled up at him. "Thanks daddy."

Aubrey and her father walked down the aisle and he kissed her cheek. Erik and Aubrey changed things up a bit from the 'usual' ceremony.

Instead of the couple looking at the preacher with them a step down, it was reversed. Erik and Aubrey stood on the top looking at each other while the preacher was a step down, reciting everything that needed to be recited.

After the I do's everyone cheered, but Aubrey couldn't hear them, she was still looking into Erik's beautiful eyes. They turned and walked back out, blissful of everyone around them.

There was 30 minutes while everyone filed out of the church, hugging them, and congratulating them, then there was pictures.

After that was over they were escorted to the 'after party' as Erik kept calling it, where they cut the cake and opened their gifts.

Aubrey turned and looked at Erik. "I love you so much, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

Erik pulled her against his body and planted a deep kiss on her.

"Hey your smudging up her face." Jane said besides them and they broke apart.

"Leave them alone Jane." Harry said with a grin, both Aubrey and Erik laughed.

"This is the start of something beautiful." Erik whispered in Aubrey's ear.

"It always has been beautiful." Aubrey said softly with a grin on her face.

**Yes the story is over *sniff* I really hope you loved reading it as much as I have loved writing it. I really want to thank a few people who have been reviewing my story since the first chapter: Cinnamon Selkie, Love's Labour's Won, ichigoV13, Isabella101, KellansLadyKatie09, XXClosingTimeXX, Red Queen of Diamonds, thank you for sticking with this story from the begining, your the best! Also thank you to the rest of my reviews your great. I will have a chapter for my Harry Potter story Life Will Always Find a Way to Shine up in a few days, I really hope you check it out. I really hope that we can cross into the 200's reviews with this last chapter, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!**

**Desiree'**


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